Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) and NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) have signed an agreement to enable cross-border QR payments between Malaysia and India.

The collaboration between Malaysia’s national payments network and the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India paves the way for Malaysians and Indians to be able to make payments across borders using their familiar local payment apps, the duo said in a statement on Thursday.

The initiative will be rolled out in two phases. In the first phase, Indian travellers to Malaysia will be able to use their UPI-enabled apps at supported DuitNow QR touchpoints nationwide.

DuitNow QR is Malaysia’s national QR standard, operated by PayNet. There are more than 2.9 million DuitNow QR merchants across Malaysia, spanning tourist attractions, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

In the second phase, Malaysians visiting India will be able to scan UPI QR codes and pay using their preferred banking app or e-wallet at millions UPI QR‑enabled merchant locations.

“This agreement reflects how the national payments infrastructure can support everyday cross-border payments at scale,

“Once enabled, the linkage between Malaysia’s DuitNow QR and India’s UPI will strengthen payment connectivity for travellers, merchants, banks and the wider financial services ecosystem,” said Praveen Rajan, Chief Executive Officer of PayNet.

“In the context of Visit Malaysia 2026 and growing two-way travel, this collaboration contributes to broader trade and economic activity between Malaysia and India,” he added.

Ritesh Shukla, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NPCI International, said under the guidance of the Government of India and Reserve Bank of India, they aim to expand the global footprint of UPI by building interoperable, real-time payment ecosystems with leading payment networks worldwide.

“Our partnership with PayNet marks an important step in enabling seamless QR-based merchant payments between India and Malaysia, offering travellers a familiar, secure, and convenient payment experience,

“This collaboration reinforces our commitment to simplifying cross-border payments while strengthening digital and economic connectivity between the two countries,” he added.

As Malaysia targets the arrival of more than two million Indian tourists under Visit Malaysia 2026, the initiative supports convenient payments for travellers while channelling spending to local merchants.

More broadly, the linkage strengthens payment connectivity between Malaysia and India, supporting banks and payment providers and contributing to wider trade and economic activity in both markets, said the statement.

Nexus Global Payments appoints PayNet and NETS as technical operator