Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for greater global expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), highlighting India’s digital payments infrastructure and its potential to connect people and businesses across borders.

Speaking at the Fintech Fest, PM Modi emphasised the role of technology and financial innovation in transforming India’s payments ecosystem. He said India’s experience with digital payments offers an opportunity to take the country’s homegrown payment infrastructure to a wider international audience.

PM Modi highlights India’s digital payments journey

The Prime Minister pointed to the rapid growth of digital payments in India and the way UPI has become an important part of everyday transactions.

He stressed that India’s fintech ecosystem has demonstrated how technology can make financial services more accessible and convenient for people.

UPI has emerged as one of India’s key digital public infrastructure platforms, allowing users to make instant bank-to-bank payments through participating applications.

Push for wider international adoption of UPI

PM Modi also underlined the importance of taking India’s digital payment capabilities beyond the domestic market.

The push for wider UPI adoption comes as India has been working to establish digital payment linkages with other countries, enabling easier cross-border transactions.

Such international expansion can support Indian travellers, businesses and consumers by making digital payments more convenient in participating countries.

India’s fintech ecosystem in focus

The Prime Minister’s remarks came as the fintech sector continues to play a major role in India’s digital transformation.

India’s experience with UPI has attracted international attention because of the scale at which real-time digital payments are being used.

At the event, the broader fintech ecosystem and the potential of technology to improve access to financial services were also central to discussions.

Why UPI’s global expansion matters

A wider international footprint for UPI could strengthen India’s digital payments ecosystem while making cross-border transactions simpler in countries where UPI-linked systems are available.

The expansion also reflects India’s broader effort to promote its digital public infrastructure and fintech capabilities internationally.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took an apparent swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing a gathering of young people in Gujarat’s Vadodara.

Speaking at the “NaMo for Viksit Bharat” event, PM Modi cautioned the youth against what he described as misleading claims and referred to “Jhooth Ki Goonj” in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign.

“People will try to mislead you through Jhooth Ki Goonj, but youth will stand with truth,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister was in Vadodara to announce new projects and inaugurate completed infrastructure works. He said development projects worth more than Rs. 35,000 crore would provide further momentum to the journey towards a Viksit Bharat.

PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi

PM Modi’s remarks came in the context of the political debate surrounding the Congress’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign.

He appeared to refer to a fact-check of Rahul Gandhi’s speeches by a satirical political website. According to the report, the website examined 40 statements made by Rahul Gandhi at four events associated with the campaign and described 29 as “false” and 11 as “misleading”.

The Prime Minister urged young people to distinguish between what he portrayed as misleading political claims and what he called the truth.

Double-stack freight train highlighted

During his address, PM Modi also highlighted the operation of a double-stack container freight train between JNPT in Mumbai and Vadodara.

He said the single journey carried a volume of cargo equivalent to more than 250 trucks. He also used the example to take a humorous swipe at critics concerned about the impact of infrastructure changes on truck operators.

PM Modi also referred to the Dedicated Freight Corridor and said that before 2014, not even 1 km of the project had been completed during the previous government’s seven to eight years.

Free online coaching initiative for students

The Prime Minister also spoke about the government’s move towards providing free online coaching by top teachers to students preparing for competitive examinations.

He said the initiative was aimed at reducing the financial burden of coaching on poor and middle-class families.

PM Modi said education is changing alongside the wider transformation in the world, with skills becoming increasingly important alongside formal degrees.

The Vadodara event combined announcements on infrastructure and education with political remarks directed at the Opposition.

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Nandigram bypoll in West Bengal, with voting set to take place on October 6. The counting of votes will be held on October 9.

The by-election has been necessitated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacating the Nandigram Assembly seat after winning the constituency as well as Bhabanipur in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Adhikari decided to retain Bhabanipur and give up his Nandigram seat.

The Election Commission said the poll process will formally begin with the issue of the gazette notification on September 9.

Nandigram bypoll schedule

According to the election schedule, candidates can file their nominations until September 16. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on September 17, while September 19 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

Polling in Nandigram will be conducted on October 6 and votes will be counted on October 9. The Election Commission has said the entire election process will be completed by October 11.

Why is a Nandigram bypoll being held?

The Nandigram Assembly seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the constituency.

Adhikari had contested the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and won both seats. He subsequently chose to retain Bhabanipur and vacate Nandigram, making a by-election necessary for the constituency.

The Nandigram contest is also significant because Adhikari had defeated Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee from the constituency in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election.

Rejinagar bypoll also scheduled

The Election Commission has also announced a by-election for the Rejinagar Assembly constituency in West Bengal. The Rejinagar seat became vacant after Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir gave it up.

Polling for Rejinagar will also be held on October 6, with counting scheduled for October 9.