‘Will Begin From Eiffel Tower’: PM Modi On India’s UPI Use In France

In a major boost to the market expansion of India’s unified payments interface (UPI), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that New Delhi and Paris have come to an agreement to use the flagship instant payment system in France.

PM Modi said the service will begin from the Eiffel Tower, where Indian tourists can make payments in Indian Rupees using a mobile application.

“India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. In the coming days, it will begin from the Eiffel Tower which means Indian tourists will now be able to pay in rupees,” he said while addressing the Indian diaspora in Paris.

The development came around a year after the the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI service, signed an MoU with France’s fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.

Post-study visa for Indian students

Indian students pursuing masters in France will now get a 5-year long-term post-study work visa.

“Earlier it was decided that students studying in France will get 2 years of work visa but now students who pursue their Masters from France will get 5 years of work visa post their studies,” PM Modi said.

New consulate in Marseille

With the help of the French government, India has decided to open a new consulate in Marseille, in view of improving the convenience for Indians living there.

‘First member’ of Alliance Francaise

He also recalled being the first Indian member of the France’s cultural centre, Alliance Francaise, that opened in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad around 40 years back. He also said how his government made an effort to track down his identity card from that centre from old records and handed the photocopy of it to him.

“My bond with France is historic and I can never forget that. Around 40 years ago, France’s cultural centre, Alliance Francaise, was established in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. The first Indian member of that cultural centre is speaking with you here today,” he said.

More Mbappe fans in India than France

He further claimed that India has more fans of French footballer Kylian Mbappe than he has in his own country.

“French football player Kylian Mbappe is superhit among the youth in India. Mbappe is probably known to more people in India than in France,” he said.