The official currency of India is the Indian rupee, with the international currency code INR and symbol ₹.
Common banknotes include:
- ₹10
- ₹20
- ₹50
- ₹100
- ₹200
- ₹500
Coins are also widely used for smaller amounts.
India’s official tourism service says foreign debit and credit cards are widely accepted, particularly at hotels, restaurants, larger shops and established tourist businesses.
However, cash is still very useful for:
- tuk-tuks and local taxis
- markets and street-food stalls
- small cafés and family-run restaurants
- tips
- local buses and transport
- temples and small entrance fees
- rural towns and villages
The big change in India is UPI, the Unified Payments Interface. Local people use QR codes to pay for almost everything, from supermarkets to tea stalls. UPI has become so dominant that even very small traders may display a QR code rather than operate a conventional card terminal.
Foreign tourists can access some UPI services, but it is not yet as simple or universal as it is for Indian residents. Recent visitors report that tourist UPI wallets can involve registration requirements, fees and restrictions, so you should not arrive assuming your normal UK banking app will scan every UPI code.
For most UK visitors, the practical combination is Indian rupee cash, a Visa or Mastercard and UPI if you successfully set it up.
Over the past 30 days, the pound has weakened against the Indian Rupee. The best Indian Rupee rate fell by 1.76%, from 121.1232 on 15 October 2026 to 118.9883 on 13 November 2026.
This means £1 buys less Indian Rupee today than it did at the start of the period.
On a £750 purchase, you would receive about ₹89,241.23 today, around ₹1,601.18 less than on 15 October 2026.
Indian Rupee rates moved around during the month, ranging from 118.9883 on 13 November to 122.6727 on 5 November. That shows why checking live rates before you buy can make a real difference.
Last refreshed at 12:00 on 13 November 2026.