Abu Dhabi-based retail giant LuLu Group International has introduced Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – India’s real-time payment system – at all its stores in the UAE.
Celebrating the 78th Indian Independence Day, A. Amarnath, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy, performed the inaugural transaction at a LuLu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Indian expats and visitors can now make payments using their RuPay card at LuLu stores. They can scan the UPI QR code to make payments using their UPI-powered app like Gpay, PhonePe and Paytm.
“The new payment facility will greatly benefit more than 10 million Indians who travel to the UAE every year, providing convenience and boosting local trade and economy,” said Saifee Rupawala, CEO of LuLu Group International.
UPI is an instant payment system that consolidates multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application from any participating bank. It integrates various banking features, enabling seamless fund transfers, merchant payments, and more, all within a platform.
In February, President Sheikh Mohamed and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly introduced the UPI RuPay card service in Abu Dhabi. Since then, Dubai-based Mashreq Bank and Al Maya Supermarkets have also adopted UPI payment solutions.
Week-long India festival
Marking Independence Day, LuLu Group launched its annual ‘India Utsav’ festival across all UAE stores. The week-long event features discounts on Indian products, traditional performances, and celebrity appearances.
Inaugurating the festival, Amarnath underlined the event is a testament to the strong bilateral relationships and showcases the demand for Indian products across the emirates.
“The festival invites all to discover unique and authentic Indian products, savour delectable flavours of Indian cuisine, and explore diverse collections of Indian ethnic styles.”
The festival offers discounts on a variety of Indian products, including rice, traditional breakfast powders, cereals, spices, meats, ready-to-cook snacks and groceries.