During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Seychelles, the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing UPI-based digital payments, one of 19 agreements made public as they celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations.
“I am pleased that a MoU has been signed between India and Seychelles for UPI,” Modi remarked during the visit.
The agreement focuses on strengthening collaboration in digital payments and financial technology. While specific operational details are yet to be released, this move indicates Seychelles’ eagerness to integrate into India’s burgeoning digital public infrastructure ecosystem.
For Indian tourists, this development could potentially facilitate smoother cashless transactions while visiting the Indian Ocean destination famed for its stunning beaches, marine tourism, and luxury resorts.
India’s Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, has rapidly gained traction beyond domestic borders in recent years. Indian travellers can already utilize UPI for merchant payments in various countries, including Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, the UAE, Qatar, France, and Cambodia.
The Seychelles partnership is part of India’s broader efforts to introduce its digital public infrastructure model, commonly known as India Stack. The government has forged cooperation agreements with over 20 countries to share digital systems and technology frameworks associated with platforms such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and UPI.
The UPI announcement coincided with a more extensive suite of bilateral agreements encompassing defence, maritime security, healthcare, education, agriculture, and space cooperation.
Additionally, India revealed development assistance initiatives, which include a ₹1,250-crore line of credit, support for a new Seychelles National Hospital, and the provision of ambulances, rice, and cement.
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