Gandhi accuses Modi government of bowing to US pressure on UPI fees

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has leveled fresh accusations against the Modi government, claiming it is quietly facilitating the introduction of fees on India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform under pressure from the United States. In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the government has compromised on a key domestic policy matter to accommodate external pressure. The Congress leader's remarks add to ongoing debate over the potential commercialization of UPI, the digital payment system that has become central to India's financial ecosystem and reached over 300 million users. Gandhi's criticism comes as the government has previously indicated openness to reviewing transaction charges for certain categories of UPI users, including non-bank payment operators. The Congress party has consistently framed such proposals as threats to India's financial sovereignty and accessibility of digital payment services to ordinary citizens. The government has not yet issued an official response to Gandhi's specific allegations regarding external pressure in relation to UPI policy formulation.