Opposition party warns US pressure behind proposed UPI charges

CPI further alleged that the fee decision was influenced by external pressure, specifically from the United States. The party cited comments from a U.S. trade envoy who criticized India's zero‑MDR (merchant discount rate) model, describing it as a barrier for American payment firms. CPI asserted that firms such as Visa and Mastercard stand to benefit if card‑based payments gain a larger share at the expense of UPI and the domestic RuPay network.