Germany’s Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has lauded India’s advancements in digital payments, particularly its Unified Payments Interface (UPI), during an event in Berlin. Speaking alongside Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the annual meeting of German Ambassadors, Baerbock reflected on her time as ambassador to India two years ago, praising the country’s modernization efforts.
“I first met Minister Jaishankar when I was in Delhi two years ago. I traveled on your Metro and witnessed your modernization, kilometer by kilometer,” Baerbock said, adding, “I was especially impressed by your Unified Payments Interface. Watching people buy groceries through instant digital payments seemed almost unimaginable for Germany.”
Her remarks come shortly after Christopher Waller of the US Federal Reserve acknowledged that the U.S. banking system has yet to catch up with the digital payments revolution that is rapidly transforming India.
Baerbock also expressed her intent to drive digital change within Germany’s foreign ministry, humorously recalling the embassy’s outdated visa application process. “I saw that we still carry visa application forms in boxes meant for laundry. While I can’t transform payment systems on the street, I am committed to modernizing digital processes within our ministry.”
India’s UPI system, a real-time payment solution, has gained international recognition for its ease of use and broad integration across daily transactions, making it a model for other nations seeking to digitize their economies.
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