Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:56pm on 16 Sep 2026,Wednesday India
The Centre on Wednesday rejected opposition claims that introducing a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI payments was driven by foreign influence or intended to appease US President Donald Trump. The opposition had alleged that the move was aimed at benefiting American card companies and followed external pressure. The Finance Ministry said India’s UPI policy decisions were made independently. It also clarified that UPI would continue to remain free for consumers. The government’s response came amid criticism of the MDR framework, with the Centre seeking to counter allegations linking the policy change to foreign influence. The Ministry reiterated that access to UPI payments would remain free under its independently decided policy. (PC: X)
