Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, currently on a three-day visit to India, embraced the nation’s digital payment landscape by using UPI to purchase a Lord Ganesha idol in Mumbai. This gesture marked Sanchez as the latest high-profile foreign leader to adopt India’s flagship digital payment technology, reflecting the growing influence of UPI on the global stage.
Earlier in Jan this year French President Emmanuel Macron set the trend when he made a UPI payment during his Republic Day visit to India. A week after Macron’s visit, UPI was formally launched at the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Sanchez made the transaction with the assistance of an Indian representative, underscoring the convenience and efficiency of UPI system. Sanchez’s visit coincided with Diwali celebrations, where he and his wife, Begona Gomez, enthusiastically participated in traditional festivities. On Monday, the Spanish first couple joined Indian locals in lighting diyas and setting off pencil sparklers, marking their first Diwali celebration. They also savoured popular Indian sweets, including ladoos, adding a cultural dimension to their visit that was warmly received by locals and officials alike.
