Won’t Forget the Chai With PM Modi, Because It Was Paid for by UPI, Says French President Macron

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has left many visiting foreign leaders amazed at the technology. The latest to be smitten by the same is French President Emmanuel Macron.

“I wouldn’t forget the chai we (he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi) shared together, because this was a chai paid with UPI… this is innovation,” Macron mentioned in his speech at the official banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for him at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Macron and Modi had kulhad tea at a shop near Hawa Mahal in Jaipur on Thursday. Modi paid for the tea using UPI on his phone. A surprised Macron watched on and noticed how Modi showed that the shop owner had also got a confirmation of the payment on his phone.

Macron also mentioned at the banquet on Friday that he was honoured to be part of “such an important day” (India’s Republic Day function) and said India and France had a strong relationship. “We don’t seem to be able to stay apart. Our meetings have warmth of friends meeting again, without losing the freshness of new discovery. You were in July in France and I am here in Delhi today,” Macron said.

UPI Catches Fancy of Visiting Leaders

France has shown strong interest in adopting UPI from India. During his visit to France in July, Modi said India and France have agreed to use UPI payment mechanism which will begin from the iconic Eiffel Tower and Indian tourists in France will now be able to make payments in rupees. The international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NCPI) has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with France’s Lyra Network to accept UPI and RuPay.

Last year, Japanese Digital Minister Kona Taro was in India and had met some senior ministers like Ashwini Vaishnaw who advised him to check out the usage of UPI in India for himself. The Japanese minister went to a coffee shop in Khan Market, Delhi and was amazed to find everyone scanning QR codes there to make online payments. Upon his return to Japan, the minister immediately called for a high-level meeting to discuss the UPI issue for adoption.

A top government official told News18 that “35-40 countries” are now considering adopting UPI with India being actively engaged with them on the issue. Japan was the latest to say last year that it was considering joining the UPI system. Other countries that have evinced interest in the UPI payments system include Bhutan, Malaysia, UAE, Nepal, France, the UK, Russia, Oman, Qatar, Australia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea and Bahrain.