"This is part of the broader agenda of connectivity. A digital transformation is key in the ongoing change that we are witnessing in India and we want to bring a similar thing to Sri Lanka," High Commissioner Jha stated at yesterday's ceremony.
India's 'PhonePe' UPI payments have been launched in Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe launched the UPI at a special ceremony held on Wednesday.
"This is part of the broader agenda of connectivity. A digital transformation is key in the ongoing change that we are witnessing in India and we want to bring a similar thing to Sri Lanka," High Commissioner Jha stated at yesterday's ceremony.
He further said that planned future endeavours include establishing the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project and broader digital public infrastructure.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a real-time payment system developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to facilitate inter-bank transactions through mobile phones, which was launched in April 2016.
India's UPI services were initially launched in Sri Lanka in February this year, in a virtual ceremony attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
With the launch of PhonePe UPI, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka announced that Indians travelling to India will be granted further convenience, as instead of carrying cash, they can now depend on the UPI interface even in Sri Lanka, where Phone Pe is collaborating with LankaPay.