Apple Restores Credit and Debit Card Payments in India
Apple has resumed accepting Visa and Mastercard payments for App Store and iCloud services in India after a four-year suspension due to regulatory compliance.
Apple Inc. has restored credit and debit card payment options for App Store, iCloud, and Apple Music users in India, ending a hiatus that began in May 2022. The company updated its payment infrastructure to comply with the Reserve Bank of India's mandates on card tokenization, data localization, and stronger customer authentication for recurring payments.
The restoration is occurring in a phased rollout. Currently, the system supports Visa and Mastercard, with integration for RuPay and American Express expected in the coming weeks. While users can now utilize these cards for subscriptions and adding funds to the Apple Account wallet, some reports indicate cards cannot yet be used for direct App Store purchases.
During the four-year suspension, Indian users relied on UPI, net banking, or account balances. The move to restore these options is intended to reduce friction for subscription renewals and supports the company's broader strategy to grow its smartphone business and diversify its supply chain away from China. The restoration has renewed speculation regarding a potential launch of Apple Pay in India, though the company has not officially announced a timeline.
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