“With this development, Indian tourists can make secure online transactions by simply using their UPI powered apps to scan QR code generated on the merchant website and initiate a payment. The acceptance of UPI in France opens up numerous opportunities for merchants across France and Europe operating in the tourism and retail sectors,” NIPL said in its statement.

Here are five key points you must know:

(1.) For the project, NIPL has tied up with Lyra, a French leader in e-commerce and proximity payments. Incorporated in April 2020, NIPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary and the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-backed operator of retail payments and settlement systems in the country.

(2.) Eiffel Tower is the first site in Europe, and France the first country on the continent, that will accept UPI payments. Also, the service will be extended to other tourism and retail merchants in the European nation.

(3.) According to the NIPL press release, Indians constitute the second-largest group of international visitors to Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s most-visited monuments.

(4.) India reached an agreement to use the flagship instant payment system in France in July last year, with prime minister Narendra Modi making the announcement during his state visit. On that same visit, PM Modi also said that UPI payments in France will begin with Eiffel Tower, and transactions will be in Rupee.

(5.) Unified Payments Interface has more than 380 million (38 crore) users in India, as per NIPL. Last month alone, as many as 12.2 billion (1220 crore) transactions were made through the facility.