UPI Down: Outage Disrupts Digital Payments Across India – SBI, Google Pay, Paytm Users Hit Hard
Millions of Indians relying on UPI for daily transactions faced frustration as major payment platforms, including State Bank of India (SBI), Google Pay, and Paytm, experienced widespread disruptions. Reports of failed fund transfers, payment errors, and app malfunctions surged on Monday, leaving users scrambling for alternatives.
What Went Wrong?
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), encountered severe technical issues, with complaints peaking between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. According to Downdetector, a service that tracks outages:
- 64% of complaints were related to failed money transfers
- 28% faced payment processing errors
- 8% reported app crashes or login issues
SBI users were among the hardest hit, with 57% struggling with fund transfers, 34% facing mobile banking problems, and 9% unable to see updated account balances. Social media was flooded with complaints, as users shared screenshots of error messages like “UPI down in India.”
No Official Explanation Yet
Neither NPCI nor the affected banks and payment apps provided an immediate clarification, deepening user frustration. While some speculated about server overloads or cyber incidents, no official cause has been confirmed.
This isn’t the first time UPI services have faltered—a similar outage occurred on March 26, with over 3,000 complaints logged. NPCI later acknowledged “intermittent technical difficulties” but assured users that services were restored.
What Should Users Do?
Until UPI services stabilize, experts recommend switching to debit/credit cards, net banking, or cash transactions for urgent payments.
As India’s digital payment ecosystem grows, such outages highlight the need for stronger infrastructure and quicker resolutions to maintain trust in cashless transactions.
