Trinidad & Tobago Becomes First Caribbean Nation to Adopt UPI

Trinidad and Tobago has become the first Caribbean country to adopt India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling seamless digital payments through the BHIM app.

This move makes Trinidad and Tobago the first Caribbean country to adopt India's UPI platform.

This partnership, announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in July 2025, has made the system easier for tourists to transact quickly and strengthen digital collaboration.

This move will modernize Trinidad and Tobago's financial infrastructure, aiming to ensure fast and secure payments.

In addition to UPI, the two countries have also agreed to collaborate on implementing other India Stack solutions such as DigiLocker (document security), e-Sign (digital signature), and Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

This collaboration aims to promote financial inclusion, tourism, and digital governance. Trinidad and Tobago has also sought India's assistance in digitizing its government land registration system.

By early 2026, India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be officially live and accepted in eight major countries—the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is located in the southeastern West Indies (Caribbean) and comprises two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as several smaller islands.

It lies northeast of Venezuela and northwest of Guyana, separated from Venezuela by the Gulf of Paria and narrow waterways. Its capital is Port of Spain.

India and Trinidad and Tobago have deep historical ties, dating back to 1845, when the first Indian indentured labourers (mainly Bhojpuri indentured labourers) arrived on the ship "Fateel Razak."

Their descendants now constitute 40-45% of the population and play a vital role in the country's socio-economic fabric. Bilateral relations were formally established in 1962 and have remained cordial and dynamic ever since.

India and Trinidad and Tobago concluded a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status trade agreement in 1997, which continues to facilitate trade between the two countries.

History of Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) laid the foundation for the digital payments system by introducing Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) in 2004 and Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) in 2010.

India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has completed 10 years, starting as a nascent platform in 2016 and becoming a global digital payments leader by 2026.

It was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the apex organization for operating retail payment and settlement systems. It was established at the initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks' Association (IBA).

UPI 2.0: Launched by NPCI in 2018, this version offers advanced features such as one-time mandates (pre-approval), invoice-in-the-inbox (bill verification before transactions), and signed intent/QR codes, further strengthening security.

BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money): This is a mobile payment application developed by NPCI that allows users to send and receive money instantly through UPI.

UPI's International Integration:

Bhutan was the first country to revolutionize digital payments by adopting India's UPI (Unified Payments Interface).

UPI now operates or is integrated with payment systems in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) laid the foundation for the digital payment system by introducing Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) in 2004 and Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) in 2010.