Apple Resumes Card Payments in India Amidst Global App Store Litigation

Apple has officially resumed support for credit and debit card payments for App Store purchases and iCloud subscriptions in India after a four-year hiatus. This change allows users to utilize major providers like Visa and Mastercard for digital transactions once again. The company successfully integrated new payment infrastructure that complies with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) strict e-mandate, tokenization, and recurring payment security protocols. Initially, the feature is rolling out to a limited group before a wider release across the Indian market.

This technical update occurs alongside Apple’s ongoing legal defense against a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by developers, including Pure Sweat Basketball and NFP Charting Online. These developers allege that Apple defied a 2021 court injunction by maintaining high fees on external payment links, which they claim nullifies mandated reforms. Apple has formally requested the court to dismiss these claims, citing existing developer agreements and the doctrine of res judicata to argue that the issues are already legally settled.

Beyond local compliance, this move has ignited speculation regarding the potential launch of Apple Pay in India. The company is reportedly in discussions with major financial institutions, including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank. While the litigation over commission structures continues to pose a risk to Apple's long-term service revenue models, the successful localization of its payment ecosystem strengthens the company's regional presence and improves user accessibility to subscription services.