Namibia Becomes First Country to Adopt UPI-Like System via NPCI Tech Deal

During his state visit to Namibia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at the State House in Windhoek, where both leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Namibia relations, exploring new avenues to deepen their economic and strategic partnership.

Following the discussions, four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the two countries, focusing on Health and Medicine, the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Center in Namibia, and broader areas of bilateral cooperation. In a significant step towards digital financial inclusion, an announcement was made to launch a Digital Payments system in Namibia later this year, modeled on India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Notably, Namibia has become the first country in the world where the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has signed a technology agreement with a central bank to implement a UPI-like digital payment platform, as highlighted by Secretary (Economic Relations) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Dammu Ravi.

In addition to economic ties, cooperation in strategic sectors like defence, security, digital technology, healthcare, agriculture, education, and critical minerals was also discussed, reinforcing the multidimensional nature of the relationship. Letters of acceptance were also exchanged, formalizing Namibia’s inclusion in two key international initiatives led by India—the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA). These platforms aim to strengthen global cooperation on sustainable infrastructure and cleaner energy transitions, respectively.

On the multilateral front, both leaders underscored the importance of reforming international institutions and expressed a shared commitment to condemn terrorism in all its forms, further aligning their positions on global governance. As a symbolic gesture of solidarity and respect, Prime Minister Modi also paid tribute to Sam Nujoma, the founding father of the Namibian nation, at the National Memorial Heroes’ Acre in Windhoek.

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