[kylehotchkiss]

As a foreigner who's lived in India for several years, what I'd really prefer is the ability to make payment using the instruments I have and not having to do a whole "KYC" process that no other country would ask me to. Context - within my home USA, I can open bank and credit cards accounts without ever even showing an ID. Having to ask very local shops to scan your passport/visa is an extremely uncomfortable request for people from abroad who have been told to protect that document from identity thieves their whole life. Nobody wants to give their address or phone number to a shopkeeper. I wish you guys all the best, but ultimately what India needs is more of those awesome Pine terminals which reliably take foreign cards and Apple Pay support. Then they get the lost card and chargeback protection they get everywhere else. So many foreigners are willing to come and spend money at small shops, why not better enable them to with the tools they have?

[sudshekhar]

The pine terminals and credit card acceptance cost the merchants hefty fees. Which many of the small businesses prefer not to pay, specially given the infrequency of card purchases.

You can always stick to cash and card as your preferred mode of payments in India.

Having a UPI wallet can be a convenient backup for travellers though. You won't have to run around finding an ATM in case you get stuck.

And the verification process might seem "difficult" but its one-time and less painful than visiting a doctor.

Given the applicable forex regulations, I guess that's the best we're allowed to enable right now.