The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Reliance Retail announced launch of a new in-store payment solution that will enable customer payments through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platforms, a statement said on Thursday.

This integration will provide a convenient and seamless payment experience to Reliance Retail customers and will be an added avenue for digital transactions.

"Reliance Retail is the first organised retail chain in the country to offer its customers the option of mobile-based UPI app payments at its stores," the statement said.

"This new in-store UPI payment facility is currently live in more than 200 Reliance Retail stores in Mumbai across formats, including Reliance Fresh, Reliance Smart, Reliance Digital, Reliance Trends and Reliance Footprint, among others," it added.

"With the fast growing popularity of UPI-payment apps like NPCI's BHIM app, which has seen close to 20 million downloads, this initiative will increase UPI payment acceptance points in retail stores. It is expected to play a vital role in driving a more cashless future," said A.P. Hota, MD & CEO of NPCI.

"Progressively, the facility will be rolled out to other Reliance Retail stores across the country. This spirited initiative will further enhance the digital transaction ecosystem in the country," said V. Subramaniam, Director, Reliance Retail.

The platform is architectured by Bangalore-based Innoviti Payment Solutions, with process support from the Axis Bank.