UPI payments in Uzbekistan: Indians can now scan UZQR for instant payments
Synopsis
India has quietly wired another country into its UPI network — this time Uzbekistan, where Indian travellers can now pay by scanning a local QR code directly from their UPI apps. Signed during PM Modi's bilateral visit and backed by both the RBI and Uzbekistan's central bank, the deal adds to a rapidly growing list of over 10 countries where UPI is now live for cross-border payments.
Key Takeaways
NPCI International (NPIL) signed a cross-border payments agreement with Uzbekistan's NIPC on 30 August , enabling UPI acceptance via UZQR .
Indian travellers can now scan UZQR codes using any UPI-enabled app to pay merchants across retail, hospitality, and services in Uzbekistan.
The deal was backed by both the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) .
The agreement was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral visit to Uzbekistan .
UPI is now accepted in more than 10 countries , including Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece.
The Maldives became the ninth country last month to go live with a UPI integration through its 'Favara' instant payment system.
NPCI International (NPIL) has enabled Indian tourists, business travellers, and students to make instant cross-border merchant payments in Uzbekistan by scanning the country's national interoperable QR code, UZQR, according to a Finance Ministry statement released on 31 August 2025. The move marks a significant expansion of UPI's international footprint, adding Uzbekistan to the growing list of countries where Indian travellers can pay directly from their Indian bank accounts.
The Agreement Behind the Launch
NPIL, the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), signed a commercial agreement with the National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC) — operator of Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO — on 30 August. The agreement received formal approvals from both the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU), which designated HUMO as NPIL's authorised partner for cross-border merchant acceptance.
The signing coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral visit to Uzbekistan, lending diplomatic weight to what is fundamentally a payments infrastructure milestone.
How It Works for Indian Travellers
Indian travellers can open any UPI-enabled application and scan Uzbekistan's UZQR code — the country's unified national QR infrastructure mandated by the CBU — to complete person-to-merchant (P2M) payments directly from their Indian bank accounts. The integration covers retail, hospitality, and service merchants across Uzbekistan, offering near-universal acceptance.
Crucially, the arrangement eliminates foreign exchange markup friction and reduces dependence on international payment cards or cash — two persistent pain points for Indian travellers abroad.
UPI's Expanding Global Footprint
This launch comes weeks after the Maldives became the ninth country to announce the successful go-live of its integration with UPI through its instant payment system, 'Favara'. That system allows individuals in the Maldives to transfer funds to beneficiaries in India in real time, with transactions initiated in Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) and credited in Indian Rupees (INR).
According to the Finance Ministry statement, UPI is now accepted in 10 countries: Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece. Uzbekistan's addition signals continued momentum in India's push to internationalise its digital payments stack.
Strategic and Economic Significance
The initiative advances digital public infrastructure cooperation between India and Uzbekistan, aligning with both nations' broader strategic and economic objectives. For India, each new UPI corridor reduces transaction costs for its diaspora and travelling population while simultaneously building soft power around homegrown financial technology.
With NPIL accelerating bilateral payment agreements across Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe, the pace of UPI's global rollout is set to intensify in the coming quarters.
Point of View
After the Gulf. What is underreported is the regulatory architecture: both the RBI and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan had to formally designate HUMO as an authorised partner, which means this is not a pilot but a production-grade integration. The real test will be merchant penetration — QR infrastructure coverage on paper rarely matches on-ground acceptance density, especially outside capital cities. India's UPI diplomacy is moving fast; execution quality at the merchant level will determine whether these corridors become habitual payment rails or remain niche conveniences for a small slice of travellers.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Indians use UPI in Uzbekistan now?
Yes. As of 31 August 2025 , Indian travellers can use any UPI-enabled app to scan Uzbekistan's national UZQR code and make instant merchant payments directly from their Indian bank accounts. The service covers retail, hospitality, and service merchants across the country.
What is the UZQR code and how does it work with UPI?
UZQR is Uzbekistan's national interoperable QR code, mandated by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) as the unified payment QR infrastructure. Indian travellers scan it using their UPI app, and the payment is processed directly from their Indian bank account, eliminating the need for foreign exchange conversion or international cards.
Which Indian and Uzbek bodies approved the UPI-Uzbekistan deal?
The agreement was formally approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU) . The CBU designated HUMO — operated by the National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC) — as NPIL's authorised partner for cross-border merchant acceptance.
How many countries accept UPI payments now?
According to the Finance Ministry, UPI is accepted in more than 10 countries , including Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece. Uzbekistan is the latest addition following the agreement signed on 30 August 2025 .
What is the significance of the Maldives UPI integration mentioned alongside this deal?
The Maldives became the ninth country to go live with a UPI integration last month, through its instant payment system 'Favara' . Unlike the Uzbekistan deal — which enables Indian travellers to pay merchants abroad — the Maldives integration also allows individuals in the Maldives to send funds to recipients in India in real time, with transactions settled in Indian Rupees (INR) .
