Scan, pay abroad: NPCI International strengthens UPI merchant acceptance in Sri Lanka to enable seamless payment experience for Indian tourists

The initiative aims to enhance cross-border payment experiences for Indian tourists, support Sri Lanka’s growing digital economy, and further strengthen the deep economic and cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka.

UPI, India’s real-time, account-to-account payment system, enables instant and secure transactions through mobile applications. Processing over 20 billion financial transactions monthly, it has emerged as one of the world’s most advanced digital payment infrastructures.

With over 700 million UPI QR‑ touch points across India, its open, interoperable architecture and strong security framework allows it to integrate seamlessly with international payment ecosystems, including Sri Lanka’s LankaQR infrastructure.

India has consistently remained Sri Lanka’s leading source for tourism. Over 4,16,000 Indian tourists visited the island in 2024, and this number grew to 5,31,000 in 2025, accounting for the highest share of total international arrivals. With this year‑on‑year growth, the need for seamless and reliable payment solutions has become even more crucial. Indian visitors travel to Sri Lanka for leisure, weddings, shopping, and spiritual tourism, highlighting the importance of smooth, secure, and convenient payment options throughout their journey.

Through the collaboration between NPCI International and LankaPay, Indian tourists can make digital payments across Sri Lanka by simply scanning LankaQR using their preferred UPI-enabled mobile applications, minimising the need to carry or exchange physical cash.

UPI payments are now enabled at leading establishments including Cinnamon Hotels, Taj Hotels, Barista, Keells Supermarket and Odel, amongst others.

To support this growing corridor, NIPL has been actively engaging with key stakeholders in Sri Lanka, including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, acquiring banks, and key merchants, to scale UPI acceptance in line with Sri Lanka’s domestic payment framework.

This integration has significant advantages for both merchants and customers. For travellers, UPI offers the convenience of real-time payments directly from their Indian bank accounts, transparent exchange rates, and a familiar, secure payment experience. For Sri Lankan merchants, it provides access to a large, digitally savvy customer base, improved cash management, and reduced reliance on physical currency, driving greater operational efficiency.

Ritesh Shukla, MD & CEO, NPCI International, said, “NPCI International is committed to building trusted, interoperable payment corridors that bring countries closer through technology. Our engagement in Sri Lanka reflects a shared vision to enhance digital payment acceptance, simplify travel and commerce for millions of people, and create value for local businesses and the wider economy. Through our partnership with LankaPay, we are advancing seamless, secure, and real-time transactions that strengthen the economic partnership between India and Sri Lanka.”

As UPI adoption progresses, NIPL will continue working closely with Sri Lankan regulators, ecosystem players, and merchants to extend acceptance across high‑frequency sectors such as hospitality, retail, tourism, and essential services.

Recognised by the IMF as the world’s largest real‑time payment system, powering 49% of global instant payments, UPI presents a significant opportunity for Sri Lankan merchant to elevate the travel experience for Indian visitors, boosting economic activity and enhancing cross‑border commerce between the two nations.