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Doha: In a significant move for digital payments abroad, Indian travellers visiting Qatar can now pay seamlessly using Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The new service eliminates the need for cash or currency exchange, offering visitors a secure and convenient way to shop and dine.

The facility has been introduced through a partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Qatar National Bank (QNB), powered by NETSTARS’ payment solution.

Qatar Duty Free has become the first merchant to go live with UPI, enabling real-time QR code-based payments at its outlets in Hamad International Airport. More QNB-acquired merchants are expected to adopt the service in the coming months.

Qatar is the eighth country where UPI is now accepted. The other seven are:

• Bhutan
• France
• Mauritius
• Nepal
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

With Indians forming the second largest group of international visitors to Qatar, the move is set to ease transactions for travellers while boosting cashless growth in retail and tourism sectors.

In a statement, Ritesh Shukla, MD & CEO of NIPL, said the initiative would “expand UPI’s global footprint and allow Indian travellers to transact securely and conveniently abroad.”

QNB’s Group Chief Business Officer, Yousef Mahmoud Al-Neama, called the move “a modernisation of Qatar’s payment landscape that benefits merchants, supports tourism, and encourages cashless growth.”

Thabet Musleh, Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer at Qatar Duty Free, said being the first merchant to accept UPI reflects the company’s commitment to innovation and enhancing the travel retail experience.

The collaboration strengthens India’s digital payment presence abroad while supporting Qatar’s shift towards a secure and cashless economy.