Indian PM Narendra Modi has praised the move of launching the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris and described it as a 'significant step' towards taking UPI global.

"Great to see this- it marks a significant step towards taking UPI global. This is a wonderful example of encouraging digital payments and fostering stronger ties," he posted on X.

The initiative became possible after the NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) in partnership with Lyra, a French leader in securing e-commerce and proximity payments, announced the acceptance of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism in France starting with the Eiffel Tower. 

The official announcement was made in Paris at an event organized by the Indian Embassy in France to celebrate the Republic Day of India.

Jawed Ashraf, the Ambassador of India to France and Monaco, along with distinguished guests including PriscaThevenot, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson, France,Alain Lacour, President of the Lyra Group, Christophe Mariette, Commercial Director of LyraFrance, and Patrick Branco Ruivo, CEO of Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, graced the occasion.

This announcement is of particular significance considering that Indian tourists rank as the second largest group of international visitors to the Eiffel Tower.

With this development, Indian tourists can make secure online transactions by simply using their UPI-powered apps to scan QR code generated on the merchant website and initiate a payment.