NPCI to establish global headquarters, 5,000-seat R&D center in Mumbai
28 Feb 2025

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) plans to set up a global headquarters and a 5,000-seat research and development (R&D) center in Mumbai. The move comes as part of NPCI's international expansion plans.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has provided land for the project at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

Global influence in digital payments
International impact

NPCI, the operator of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and RuPay networks, has seen a surge in international interest.

CEO Dilip Asbe revealed that over 70 countries have visited NPCI's office in recent years to understand India's digital payment infrastructure. He disclosed this during his speech at Mumbai Tech Week.

The new R&D center would boost innovation in payment technology and foster global partnerships.

UPI now operational in 7 countries
Global expansion

NPCI has been working actively to expand UPI acceptance in major global markets through its subsidiary, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL).

Asbe confirmed that UPI is now live in seven countries including UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France and Mauritius.

NPCI is also working with countries like Peru, Namibia, and Trinidad and Tobago to build their sovereign payment ecosystems.

Transactions surpass 16.99 billion in January
Transaction growth

The Union finance ministry recently revealed that the number of UPI transactions in January touched nearly 17 billion, with a cumulative value of over ₹23.48 lakh crore.

As of January 2025, more than 80 UPI apps and 641 banks are active on the UPI ecosystem, further highlighting NPCI's pivotal role in India's digital payment space.