Modi inaugurated the Global Fintech Fest 2026 at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre. Scheduled for September 8–11, the gathering brings together senior leaders, including Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union finance minister, and Sanjay Malhotra, the RBI governor.

The proposed direction goes beyond allowing people to use UPI in selected overseas markets. It involves making UPI work with local payment networks in those countries. Such connections could support instant international transactions and make sending money abroad feel more like an everyday domestic payment. The supplied report does not specify an implementation timetable.

Malhotra highlighted how fintech businesses are expanding credit access for micro, small and medium enterprises. He pointed to alternative ways of assessing borrowers that can reach firms overlooked by conventional bank lending assessments. This addresses the shortfall between what small businesses need to borrow and the funding they receive.

BharatPe unveiled its Agentic AI offering to support merchants in running their businesses. It also introduced Credit Coach, an AI-based tool designed to explain credit scores and encourage responsible borrowing. These launches illustrate AI’s growing role beyond basic customer conversations.

The event also covers tokenization and quantum technology as potential tools for stronger digital security. Tokenization substitutes sensitive information with unique symbols. The discussions underline the increasing importance of secure systems alongside wider access to payments and loans.