BHIM UPI, the Indian government’s digital payment app, was launched in Bhutan Tuesday via a virtual ceremony by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Bhutanese counterpart Lyonpo Namgay Tshering.
Bhutan becomes the first country, in India’s immediate neighbourhood, to use the BHIM app for mobile-based payments and “to adopt UPI standards for its QR deployment”, stated a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Finance Minister @nsitharaman along with Finance Minister of Bhutan Lyonpo Namgay Tshering jointly launched BHIM–UPI in Bhutan today.
This fulfils commitment made during the PM @narendramodi’s visit to Bhutan in 2019.
Press Release: https://t.co/FPZkQYmHWt pic.twitter.com/1xnbMXhZ5R
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 13, 2021
Speaking at the event, Sitharaman said, “The services have started in Bhutan under India’s neighbourhood first policy and India is proud of our achievement and feel pleasure in sharing it with our valued neighbour. BHIM UPI is one of the brightest spots and achievements for digital transactions in India during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 100 million UPI QRs have been created in the last 5 years.”
Thanking the Government of India, Tshering said “the bond between the two countries has become stronger each passing day.”
Former electronics and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted, “Launch of BHIM-UPI in Bhutan is a big development in taking India’s fintech innovations to different countries.”
Launch of BHIM-UPI in Bhutan is a big development in taking India’s fin tech innovations to different countries. This will not only create new opportunities for Indian innovators but also realise the vision of PM @narendramodi to use digital technology for growth & development. https://t.co/r4UyzKekn4
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) July 14, 2021