Is Google Pay banned in India: Why is the platform not working?

Google Pay is one of the widely used digital wallet platforms that allow online shopping, contactless in-store payments, and even peer-to-peer money sending. Recently, there have been a lot of rumours online suggesting that Google Pay has been banned by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The rumours reportedly began after a WhatsApp post was circulated followed by posts on social media websites claiming that transferring money through Google Pay is not protected by the law as the platform is unauthorised.

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Is Google Pay banned in India?

The National Payments Corporation of India has confirmed in a statement that Google Pay is completely safe, secured, and is an authorised Third-Party App Provider (TPAP) to the NPCI. The NPIC was set up under the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India and Indian Banks Association and serves as an authorised Payments System Operator (PSO).

The NPCI also clarified that every transaction that is done using any of the authorized TPAPs is completely safe and protected by the redressal processes that were set in place by the applicable guidelines of the NPCI/RBI and can also be viewed by customers. It also added that every authorised TPAP is in full compliance with all the laws and regulations laid out by the country.

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To give you some background, the rumours on social media were suggesting that the digital wallet platform isn't safe for use and any fraud involving the app won't be handled by the RBI. Even after the NCPI had issued a clarification on the matter, the rumours continued to circulate online and soon became a trending topic on Twitter.

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The RBI also submitted a response in the Delhi High Court to a PIL by financial economist Abhijit Mishra who alleged that Google’s mobile payment app was enabling financial transactions without the requisite authorisation from the RBI.

The RBI reportedly said Google’s mobile payment app does not operate any kind of payment system, which is the reason why its name is not part of the authorised operator's list. The RBI also stated that this is the reason why Google Pay is not in any kind of violation of the law.

Why is Google Pay not working?

There have been several reports from users saying that they aren't able to use the app on their Android device. The issue now appears to be fixed; however, you can try out these tips if you're still facing any problems.

• Make sure that the Google Pay app and your phone are up to date.
• If you're facing issues with declined payments, you simply need to head over to the payments centre and provide the requested details. Confirm your identity and make sure that your payment details are up to date.
• For users having issues with the payment method, you need to visit the link here using your Google Account and provide the requested information. Now ensure that your address is up to date and the payment methods listed are the ones that you want to use.

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Image credits: Unsplash | Matthew Kwong