UPI Services Are Now Available In Greece: Indian travellers visiting Greece can now have one less thing to worry about. India’s homegrown digital payments system, UPI, has now reached Greece, providing Indian travellers with another convenient way to pay while abroad. Visitors can pay instantly using their preferred UPI-enabled apps, rather than only cash or international cards. This is another step in taking India’s digital payments ecosystem to global markets and making overseas transactions easier and more affordable for Indians, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, announcing the launch during his visit to Athens on Tuesday.
With Greece joining the network now, UPI is available in 10 countries and has further cemented its global footprint.
UPI launches in Greece in partnership with Eurobank
The launch included a live demonstration of the partnership between Eurobank and NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) at the bank’s headquarters in Athens. Goyal watched the demonstration along with Eurobank Chief Executive Officer Fokion Karavias and Sanjay Tugnait, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Digital Services. The tie-up allows for UPI-based payment services via Eurobank and is another step in expanding India’s digital payments infrastructure beyond its borders.
The development was announced by Piyush Goyal on the social media platform X, stating that the launch of UPI in Greece will enable eligible users to make instant, secure and seamless digital payments. He added that the service would dramatically cut transaction costs compared to traditional payment methods.
Delighted to witness the live demonstration of the Eurobank-NIPL partnership enabling UPI services at Eurobank headquarters in Athens, alongside its CEO, Mr. Fokion Karavias, and CEO of Fairfax Digital Services, Mr. Sanjay Tugnait, marking another important milestone in the… pic.twitter.com/whBtb02UdO
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) June 30, 2026
Why UPI launch in Greece is important for Indian travellers
The expansion of UPI could make paying overseas a lot easier for Indian tourists, students and business travellers.
Eligible users can make payments using well-known UPI apps wherever the service is accepted, instead of relying heavily on international debit or credit cards or lugging around large amounts of foreign currency.
The expansion offers some practical advantages:
- Lower cost of payment than many traditional international payment methods.
- Less dependence on cash when you travel.
- Scanning the QR code speeds up the merchant payments.
- Payments are linked directly to bank accounts, which makes it easier to track travel expenses.
As merchant acceptance grows, paying abroad might start to feel more and more like making a UPI payment at a local store in India.
India-Greece partnership is beyond payments
During the visit Goyal also met Eurobank CEO Fokion Karavias and explored options for deepening economic cooperation between India and Greece.
He mentioned the possibility of increasing Greek investments in India and explored options for growth in collaboration in manufacturing, infrastructure and long-term business cooperation.
Earlier, he addressed the India-Greece Business Forum in the presence of Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Theoharis and underlined India’s strong economic growth and investment prospects.
He also underlined the importance of the pending India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which can boost trade, investment and economic cooperation with Europe.
In which countries is UPI available now?
UPI is now available in ten countries, adding Greece to the previous list of nations, which are
Singapore
United Arab Emirates
France
Mauritius
Nepal
Bhutan
Qatar
Sri Lanka
Cambodia
Greece
Cambodia was the ninth international market after Greece to roll out UPI in partnership with NPCI International Payments Limited and ACLEDA Bank, which facilitates cross-border payments through the KHQR system in Cambodia.
The French market is also a key market for UPI’s global expansion. The service was launched in 2024 at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and was later expanded to popular retail destinations such as Galeries Lafayette in Nice.
What is UPI?
UPI was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to allow instant digital payments from one bank to another bank via mobile applications.
The platform was originally built to make domestic payments easier, but it is now being scaled internationally to enable cross-border payments for Indian travellers, cutting transaction costs and improving the convenience of payments abroad.
UPI’s global expansion continues to grow
The launch in Greece is yet another milestone in India’s efforts to export its digital public infrastructure. As more countries adopt UPI through tie-ups with local banks and payment networks, Indian travellers may be able to pay abroad using the same apps they use at home.
UPI is gradually emerging as a global payment option for millions of Indians travelling, studying and doing business abroad, with its overseas acceptance growing steadily.
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Priyanka Roshan is a business writer and assistant editor at the NewsX website who tracks everything from stock market swings and corporate earnings to personal finance trends and policy shifts. Known for turning fast-moving business developments into sharp, reader-friendly stories, she combines speed, accuracy, and a data-driven approach to break down complex financial news for everyday audiences.
With over 9.5 years of newsroom experience, Priyanka has worked with leading media organisations, including Moneycontrol, Times Now, and Ping Digital, covering diverse beats such as business, politics, technology, auto, travel, sports, and the world. From live breaking news desks to SEO-led digital storytelling, she specialises in creating engaging content that keeps readers informed without overwhelming them.
