WATCH: India's UPI launched in Sri Lanka, Mauritius; first transaction successfully conducted in both nations

India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has been launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius on Monday, 12 February.The rollout of India's UPI was done via video conferencing in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.First UPI transaction conducted by Indian citizens in Sri Lanka & MauritiusAfter the launch, the first UPI transaction was conducted by an Indian citizen in Sri Lanka.In Mauritius too, an Indian national conducted the first UPI transaction soon after the launch of the service in the country.UPI = Uniting Partners with India"Today is a special day for three friendly countries in the Indian Ocean region. Today we are connecting our historical relations in a modern digital way. This is proof of our commitment to the development of our people. Through Fintech connectivity, not only cross-border transactions but also cross-border connections will be strengthened. India's Unified Payments Interface i.e. UPI is now performing a new responsibility - Uniting Partners with India," PM Modi said at the launch event.India's policy is - Neighborhood First"India's policy is- Neighborhood First. Our maritime vision is- 'SAGAR', i.e. Security And Growth for All in the Region. Our goal is peace, security and development in the entire region. India does not see its development in isolation from its neighbouring friends," PM Modi said.The Indian Prime Minister further said the Digital Public Infrastructure has brought about a revolutionary change in India. "Even the smallest businessman in our smallest village is making digital payments because it has convenience as well as speed," he added.New dimension to India-Mauritius relationshipSpeaking at the launch event, Mauritius PM Jugnauth said, "It gives me great pleasure to join you all on this milestone occasion. The Rupay card co-branded with our national payment switch, the MoCAS will be designated as the domestic card in Mauritius. India and Mauritius share strong cultural, commercial and people-to-people linkages which date back centuries ago. Today we are giving yet another dimension to this relationship."Also Read: India's UPI service to launch in Sri Lanka, Mauritius today: Which countries already have it?"One of the highlights of the G20 meeting under the Indian presidency was the commitment to improve access to digital services and digital public infrastructure and leverage digital transformation opportunities to boost sustainable and inclusive growth. Mauritius has already embarked on its," he added.Sri Lanka and Mauritius have joined the long list of countries that have been using India's digital payment service.France, Bhutan, UAE, Oman, and Singapore are already using India's UPI service.With inputs from agencies