India’s National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Abu Dhabi’s Al Etihad Payments (AEP) have inked a strategic agreement to facilitate cross-border transactions. Under this partnership, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) will collaborate with AEP to implement the UAE’s national domestic card scheme, fostering advancements in e-commerce, digital transactions, and financial inclusion. AEP, an indirect subsidiary of the Central Bank of UAE, aims to benefit from NIPL’s expertise in establishing secure and cost-efficient payment systems. NIPL’s DCS solution, rooted in principles of sovereignty, speed, innovation, and digitization, includes the widely accepted RuPay card payment network, with over 750 million cards in circulation.