UPI Completes a Decade of Digital Payments Growth as Union Ministers Praise Its Transformative Journey Under PM Modi

Union ministers on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's digital vision as marking 10 years of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), highlighting rapid adoption in India and growing presence across international markets as well.

Taking to the social media platform X, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said UPI was a revolution envisioned by PM Modi and a defining reality of Digital India

"QR code please?" has become a phrase used by crores of Indians every day, Goyal said, highlighting the widespread adoption of digital payments.

Meanwhile, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said UPI is now operational across 11 countries, including France, Singapore, the UAE, Greece and Mauritius.

"From powering seamless payments in India to enabling digital transactions across borders, UPI continues to take our digital public infrastructure to the world," FM Sitharaman said in a post on X.

She further stated that UPI-enabled payment points have grown around 260 times since 2018, taking digital payments deeper into every corner of the country and providing greater access and convenience.

FM Sitharaman also highlighted the scale of UPI transactions, saying one out of every two real-time digital payment transactions globally takes place in India.

In addition, UPI recorded more than 2,360 crore transactions in a single month with July 2026 registering its highest monthly transaction volume since the platform's launch.

According to her, UPI transactions had risen from 1.78 crore in 2016-17 to more than 24,000 crore in 2025-26, describing the growth as a decade of innovation and digital payments revolution.

Similarly, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also credited PM Modi's leadership for the transformation of India's digital payments ecosystem.

"UPI has become a transformative force in India's digital journey under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi," Puri said in a post on X.

He said UPI had made payments faster, simpler, secure and more accessible, bringing millions of Indians into a new era of financial participation.

According to Puri, the value of UPI transactions has surged 4,500 times to Rs 314 lakh crore, making the platform a global benchmark for seamless, instant and inclusive digital transactions.

He said UPI had strengthened trust and transparency, accelerated the formalisation of economic activity and enabled small businesses to participate in the digital economy.

"From the smallest street-side vendor to the largest enterprise, UPI has placed the power of digital payments in the hands of every Indian," Puri said.

The top minister's comments come as India marks a decade of UPI which has emerged as a key component of the country's digital public infrastructure and expanded its footprint beyond domestic payments.