Sri Lankan citizens visiting India can now use UPI One World to make digital payments simply by scanning UPI QR codes across the country. They can load up to ₹2 lakh (about $2,400) into the wallet through the Cheqor Monyapp after completing a quick KYC using their passport and visa.

This new facility was launched on Monday at a ceremony held at the Sri Lankan High Commission. With this, Sri Lankan travellers can pay easily at any place in India, from chai stalls in Bodh Gaya to private hospitals in Chennai, by using their phones to scan any of India’s 400 million UPI QR codes, one of the largest payment networks in the world.

The new payment service was launched after several months of discussions between India’s National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. With Sri Lanka approving rupee-based trade payments, the service is now officially available to visitors from the island nation.

UPI One World is a special digital wallet designed for international travellers, NRIs, and foreign nationals visiting India. Created by NPCI, it allows users to make fast, simple payments in Indian Rupees (INR) without an Indian bank account or even an Indian mobile number. Visitors can add money, make purchases, and scan any UPI QR code just like Indian users do.

Lakhsmendra Geshan Dissanayake, Minister Counsellor (Commercial) at the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi, said the service will be invaluable for Sri Lankan tourists, pilgrims, and others coming to India. He explained that the pilot project began with Buddhist tour groups, many of whom are elderly pilgrims travelling to places connected to the life of Buddha, from Lumbini in Nepal to Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.

These travellers often struggle with carrying large amounts of cash or paying high fees on credit cards. The new digital wallet removes these hassles by allowing simple, cashless payments. Dissanayake also pointed out that the system will support trade between the two countries, as both the RBI and Sri Lanka’s central bank have approved the use of INR for trade settlements. 

He added that it will also benefit Sri Lankans coming to India for medical treatment. Every year, thousands travel to India for affordable surgeries, cancer treatment, and Ayurvedic therapies. A smooth digital payment option may encourage even more people to choose Indian hospitals.

For India, this move is part of a broader plan to promote the rupee in neighbouring countries and make UPI a common digital payment system across South Asia. For ordinary Sri Lankans, still recovering from their 2022 economic crisis, the convenience is immediate. In a region connected by ancient pilgrimage routes and modern medical travel, something as simple as a QR code is becoming a new link between the two nations.