UPI Payments Without Internet to Be Introduced Soon; NFC-Based Offline Transactions Up to ₹2,000 Planned

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to introduce a new feature that will allow Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions to be completed without an internet connection or mobile network. The upcoming facility will use Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, enabling users to make contactless payments even in areas with limited or no connectivity.

The initiative is expected to improve the accessibility of digital payments, particularly in rural and remote regions where internet and mobile network coverage is unreliable.

Offline UPI Payments Up to ₹2,000

Under the proposed system, users will be able to make offline UPI payments of up to ₹2,000 per transaction.

To use the feature, customers must first add money to their UPI Lite account while connected to the internet. Once the balance is loaded, they can make payments offline without requiring mobile data or Wi-Fi.

Simple Tap-and-Pay Experience
With the NFC-enabled feature, users only need to tap or place their smartphone close to a compatible Point of Sale (POS) terminal to complete the transaction.

Unlike regular UPI payments, the new system will not require an internet connection, mobile network, or UPI PIN during the payment process, making transactions faster and more convenient.

How It Differs From Existing Offline UPI Services

Currently, the *99# UPI service requires a mobile network to function, while UPI 123PAY depends on voice-based phone calls to process payments.

The proposed NFC-based offline payment system removes these requirements, allowing users to complete transactions simply by tapping their NFC-enabled smartphone on a compatible payment terminal.

NPCI Evaluating the Technology

According to reports, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is evaluating the technology and the certification of compatible payment terminals before rolling out the feature.

Once introduced, the NFC-based offline UPI payment system is expected to strengthen India`s digital payments ecosystem by enabling secure, seamless, and convenient cashless transactions, even in areas with poor or no internet connectivity.