A new fintech partnership aims to make it easier for Indian travellers to pay across Central Asia, as tourism and trade between the regions continue to grow rapidly.
Central Asian payments firm 8B has joined forces with PayU to enable Indian payment methods, including UPI, net banking and debit and credit cards, across its merchant network. The integration will cover countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The move allows Indian tourists to pay using familiar digital platforms while travelling abroad, without needing new systems or currency adjustments. Merchants in Central Asia, meanwhile, gain access to India’s vast and fast-growing digital payments ecosystem.
India’s outbound tourism market is expanding quickly, with spending projected to rise sharply over the next decade. At the same time, Central Asia has seen a surge in visitors, with India emerging as a key source market. Cities such as Almaty have reported strong growth in arrivals, while Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have also recorded significant increases in Indian tourists.
Despite this growth, payment infrastructure has lagged behind, often creating friction for travellers and businesses. The new partnership seeks to address this gap by integrating UPI directly into existing merchant systems, allowing seamless transactions using the same apps Indian consumers rely on at home.
The agreement also reflects broader economic ties. Trade between India and Kazakhstan, for example, has been rising steadily, highlighting a deepening commercial relationship beyond tourism.
Industry experts say aligning payment systems with consumer preferences can help businesses improve sales and reduce barriers at checkout, particularly in sectors such as travel, digital services and retail.
Both companies say the initiative is a step towards building a more connected digital payments ecosystem between India and Central Asia, supporting not only tourism but also cross-border commerce as the relationship between the regions continues to expand.
