UPI Without Indian Numbers: IDFC First Bank has started something new and useful for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). From June 25, 2025, NRIs can now use UPI services even if they don’t have an Indian phone number. This means people living in countries like the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and others can now link their NRE or NRO accounts with apps like Google Pay and make UPI payments just like someone living in India. They don’t need to get an Indian SIM card anymore to do it.
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With this new service, NRIs can send money, pay bills, and do QR code or UPI ID payments from their Indian bank accounts without paying any extra transaction fee or foreign exchange charges. The transactions happen in Indian rupees, and they are fully secure. This makes managing money from outside India much easier for those who still need to take care of payments or finances back home.
Ashish Singh, the Head of Retail Liabilities at IDFC First Bank, said something very important about this launch. according to Business Today, he said, “Our vision has always been to simplify and enhance banking, making it accessible no matter where our customers are located.
The launch of UPI services on international mobile numbers is a testament to our commitment to innovation and catering to the unique needs of the NRI diaspora.” His words show that the bank wants to help customers around the world stay connected to their accounts in India without any trouble.
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Simple Setup
Setting up the UPI feature is also very easy. All users need to do is open the IDFC First Bank mobile app, link their NRE or NRO account, and create a UPI ID. After that, they can use apps like Google Pay to make transactions. This is great news for someone sitting in Dubai with a Du or Etisalat SIM or someone in London using a local UK number. They don’t need to switch SIMs or worry about losing OTPs anymore.
While many banks offer NRI services, they still ask for Indian numbers for UPI access. This step puts IDFC First Bank ahead of banks like SBI and ICICI Bank, as they haven’t rolled out this feature yet.
