Oman to also start accepting of India's RuPay card, UPI platform

Oman to also start accepting of India's RuPay card, UPI platform:

Oman is set to be the latest country in West Asia to start using India's RuPay card and UPI platform, which will benefit the huge Indian diaspora in the country. During the visit of minister of state for external affairs V. Muraleedharan, an agreement will be signed between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) for cooperation in digital finance and payments for the usage of RuPay and UPI.

Muraleedharan will be on an official visit to Oman on October 3rd and 4th. This will be his second visit to the Sultanate, during which he will meet the foreign minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, and attend community receptions, among various key engagements. He last visited Oman in December 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In west Asia, the RuPay card is used or is in the process of being used in the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. UAE was the first country in the gulf where RuPay was launched during PM Modi's August 2019 visit. RuPay is an Indian payment gateway like a Visa or Mastercard and is increasingly being expanded to India's neighbouring countries or nations with a huge Indian diaspora. It was launched in Singapore in May 2018, followed by Bhutan and the Maldives.

Oman hosts 650,000 Indians, who play a key role in the economic development of the country. Recently, Pankaj Khimji, who is an Omani of Indian origin, has been appointed adviser in the Omani ministry of commerce, industry, and investment promotion with the rank of vice minister, reportedly the first such appointment of an Indian-origin expat in a senior government position in the Gulf region.

Oman hosts 650,000 Indians, who play a key role in the economic development of the country. Recently, Pankaj Khimji, who is an Omani of Indian origin, has been appointed adviser in the Omani ministry of commerce, industry, and investment promotion with the rank of vice minister, reportedly the first such appointment of an Indian-origin expat in a senior government position in the Gulf region.