India, Feb. 26 -- iPhone maker Apple is reportedly in discussions with leading Indian banks and global card networks to launch Apple Pay in India by mid- to late-2026.

According to a Bloomberg report, the company is in talks with private sector lenders like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank for a potential rollout.

It is also engaging with global card networks Visa and Mastercard as part of the plan.

Inc42 has reached out to Apple for comments on the development. The story will be updated on receiving a response.

According to an earlier report by Business Standard, the rollout is likely to happen in phases. In the first stage, Apple Pay is expected to focus on card-based contactless payments. This would allow users to add their debi...