India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now accepted at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, marking the first French merchant to adopt the platform, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced on June 14, 2026. The rollout will soon extend to Paris and Nice airports, expanding UPI’s footprint in France, the first European country to accept the Indian real-time payments system, according to medianama.com.
The UPI launch at the Eiffel Tower follows the India-France UPI agreement announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his July 2023 visit to France. In February 2024, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) partnered with French payments firm Lyra to introduce UPI in France. The formal launch took place at India’s Republic Day reception in Paris. The airport expansion was revealed during Foreign Secretary Misri’s June 2026 visit to France, which also covered defence, AI, cybersecurity, and civil nuclear energy discussions.
UPI acceptance in France allows Indian visitors to make purchases by scanning QR codes linked to UPI applications, facilitating seamless transactions. This move positions France as the first European country to integrate UPI, reflecting growing international adoption of India’s payments infrastructure. The partnership with Lyra, a major French e-commerce and payments company, underscores the cross-border collaboration to enhance digital payments accessibility for Indian travelers.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that UPI is already available at several major French airports and locations, with the Eiffel Tower as the initial launch site. The upcoming rollout at Paris and Nice airports will further extend UPI’s reach, benefiting Indian tourists and strengthening India-France economic ties.