India’s digital payment network just crossed another border. With Bahrain joining the UPI ecosystem, people in both countries will soon be able to send and receive money within seconds — That means real-time transfers, just like how UPI works within India.
The partnership was announced between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and BENEFIT, Bahrain’s leading fintech and electronic payments company. This move connects India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Bahrain’s Fawri+ (Fawri SMART App), the instant fund transfer system under the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS).
The goal? To make cross-border payments instant, cheaper, and more transparent, especially for the large Indian community in Bahrain, soon. The date will be notified.
What this means for Indians in Bahrain
There are around 3.2 lakh Indians living and working in Bahrain. Most send money home every month, often paying ₹300–₹700 per transfer in fees through traditional remittance systems.
The new UPI–Fawri+ corridor could reduce that cost by more than half, while delivering the money in seconds instead of days. That means real savings every month for workers and families — and no more waiting or tracking delays.
This isn’t just a convenience upgrade. It’s a financial relief for thousands of households that depend on remittances from the Gulf.
Which countries already have UPI access?
With Bahrain joining the list, UPI now connects nine countries including India — stretching from South Asia to the Gulf and even Europe.
| Country | Status | What works right now |
|---|---|---|
| Bhutan | Live | Indian visitors can pay via UPI QR codes. |
| Nepal | Live | Linked for person-to-person transfers. |
| Mauritius | Live | Merchant and tourism payments active. |
| Singapore | Live | Full PayNow–UPI link for instant money transfers. |
| Sri Lanka | Live | Retail QR acceptance under LankaPay. |
| France | Live | UPI accepted at tourist sites like Eiffel Tower. |
| UAE | Live | UPI payments accepted across major outlets. |
| Bahrain | Rolling out | Real-time remittances through Fawri+ network. |
So yes, UPI’s map looks impressive. But here’s the truth — not every connection is full-scale.
Some countries allow only merchant payments (like paying in a shop abroad), while others — like Singapore and Bahrain — are building true money-transfer corridors.
How the cross-border UPI corridor actually works
Think of this corridor as a digital bridge between two countries, India and Bahrain. When someone in Bahrain sends money through the Fawri+ app, it connects directly to India’s UPI network through NIPL’s system. The money lands instantly in the receiver’s Indian bank account linked with UPI.
- No intermediaries.
- No SWIFT codes.
- No PayPal or Wise.
- No manual approvals.
And soon, the same will work in reverse — Indians will be able to send money to Bahrain just as easily.
Backed by two central banks
This partnership is not just a private tie-up. It’s backed by both regulators — the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). The idea is to make international money transfers as smooth and affordable as domestic payments, while keeping them fully secure and compliant.
Related move: NPCI’s new forex feature
In another big fintech update, NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) has launched a Forex category on its Bharat Connect platform, in collaboration with Clearcorp Dealing Systems.
This allows users in India to buy foreign currency, reload forex cards, or send money abroad right from their mobile banking or UPI apps — no bank visits, no paperwork.
It’s a small but powerful step in India’s effort to make foreign payments simpler for everyday users.
UPI is expanding fast — but it’s still early. Most of the global links today are for merchant use, not full-fledged remittances. To truly be “global,” UPI will need more two-way corridors like the India–Bahrain; let’s wait for the results of this partnership; it will unlock more of more new partnerships between other countries for UPI.
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