India-Nepal to sign pact to help travellers make digital payments with Indian e-wallets

In a major step to boost tourism and trade, the Indian and Nepalese governments are set to sign an agreement in which tourists travelling between the two countries will no longer have to carry currency notes. They can simply make payments by scanning quick response (QR) codes.

Nepalese and Indian tourists travelling between the two countries would be able make digital payments using Indian e-wallets like BharatPe, PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm. Both countries have chalked out an agreement for this purpose, and the document is awaiting signatures from both countries’ officials, including Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

The move is expected to ease payment transactions for Nepalese and Indian traders, as well as for tourists visiting Nepal. Additionally, the QR codes used for transactions will also help businesses between the two countries.