Indian tourists travelling to Sri Lanka will be able to use familiar Indian payment methods, including UPI, cards and net banking, at participating merchants following a cross-border payments partnership between Pine Labs and Sri Lankan payment platform WEBXPAY.
The partnership, announced on October 22, will enable WEBXPAY’s merchant network across hospitality, travel, retail and online commerce to accept payments through these methods.
Other options include UPI AutoPay, EMI conversions and Credit on UPI, according to the companies.
For travellers, the facility could offer an alternative to relying solely on cash, international card payments or currency exchange when making eligible purchases. However, payment availability will depend on the merchant and the payment method supported at checkout.
How will the new payment facility work?
The partnership follows India’s Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) framework, which allows eligible Indian payment aggregators to partner with international payment aggregators for cross-border payments, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.
Pine Labs will connect Indian payment methods with WEBXPAY’s merchant network in Sri Lanka. The companies said the service is available through existing merchant integrations, without requiring merchants to change their payment infrastructure.
The announcement does not specify whether all Indian-issued cards and payment methods will be accepted at every participating outlet, or whether transaction limits, fees and currency-conversion terms will vary by payment option.
What should Indian travellers keep in mind?
Travellers should check whether a hotel, travel operator or retailer supports the payment method they intend to use before completing a transaction. They should also review any applicable bank charges, foreign-exchange mark-ups and conversion rates, particularly when paying through an Indian-issued card.
The availability of UPI or other familiar payment options does not necessarily mean that transactions will be free of charges. The final amount debited can depend on the payment method, the bank and the applicable conversion terms.
Why does Sri Lanka matter for Indian tourism?
According to Pine Labs and WEBXPAY, more than 5.3 lakh Indian travellers visited Sri Lanka in 2025, making India the island nation’s largest source market for tourists.
The companies said Sri Lanka is the first market activated under this partnership model, with plans to explore similar collaborations across Southeast Asia. The expansion timeline and the next markets have not been specified.
