Nepal and India Launch Real-Time UPI-NPI Digital Remittance Gateway for Migrant Workers
Nepal and India have formally operationalized a cross-border digital remittance service linking Nepal’s National Payments Interface (NPI) with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), allowing migrant workers to bypass traditional networks and transfer funds directly via mobile apps.
In a major step toward formalizing cross-border financial flows, a direct peer-to-peer (P2P) electronic remittance service has been launched between Nepal and India following the technical integration of Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The system seamlessly binds India's UPI network with Nepal's NPI, enabling the estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion in annual bilateral financial corridors to transition away from cash-carrying and informal networks like hundi. Under the regulatory framework implemented by Nepal Rastra Bank, outbound transactions from India to Nepal are capped at INR 200,000 per transaction with no monthly limits, while transfers moving from Nepal to India are restricted to INR 15,000 per transaction and a monthly ceiling of INR 100,000, carrying a flat transaction fee of INR 150. Currently, eight commercial banks in Nepal are live on the system—including major players like Nabil Bank, Global IME Bank, and Nepal SBI Bank—with integrations underway to onboarding remaining institutions. Non-banking digital applications such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm are also compatible, provided they are tied to verified bank accounts.