Apple Restores Credit and Debit Cards for App Store Purchases in India

Apple has resumed acceptance of credit and debit card payments for App Store and iCloud purchases in India, ending a four-year suspension. The restoration is being rolled out in phases, with some users now able to add eligible Visa and Mastercard cards to their Apple Accounts for subscriptions like iCloud+ and Apple Music, as well as App Store purchases.

The company had halted card payments in May 2022 following changes to India's recurring payments regulations. These rules, introduced by the Reserve Bank of India, required additional authentication steps for recurring transactions, which Apple initially did not support. In the interim, users relied on alternative methods such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), net banking, and Apple Account balance for digital purchases.

This move is expected to provide greater convenience for Indian consumers who prefer using credit or debit cards. Apple has not specified a timeline for the full rollout, but the phased approach indicates a gradual reinstatement across the country.