Source: News on Air, June 2026
Context
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has partnered with ACLEDA Bank to launch Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance in Cambodia. With this, Cambodia becomes the latest country to accept UPI-based payments, strengthening India’s cross-border digital payments footprint in Southeast Asia. UPI is now live in over nine countries including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.
About Cambodia:
- A culturally rich, largely rural country in mainland Southeast Asia.
- Civilization shaped over 2,000 years by Indian and Chinese cultural, religious, and architectural influences.
- Reached its classical peak under the Angkor Empire (9th to 15th century CE), famous for Angkor Wat.
- Capital: Phnom Penh.
- Currency: Cambodian Riel; the US dollar is also widely used.
- Population is largely rural, with a significant share employed in agriculture.
About UPI’s International Expansion:
- Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s flagship real-time digital payment system, run by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
- It allows instant bank-to-bank money transfer through a mobile app.
- UPI is currently live in more than nine countries: UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.
Practice MCQs
Q1. With reference to the launch of UPI payments in Cambodia, consider the following statements:
- The launch is the result of a partnership between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and ACLEDA Bank.
- With this launch, Cambodia becomes one of more than nine countries where UPI is live.
- UPI is operated in India by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
- UPI’s international expansion is driven by NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL).
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
Q2. With reference to the location and borders of Cambodia, consider the following statements:
- Cambodia is bordered by Thailand to the west and northwest.
- Cambodia is bordered by Laos to the northeast.
- Cambodia is bordered by Vietnam to the east and southeast.
- Cambodia’s southwestern coastline meets the Gulf of Thailand.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
Q3. With reference to Cambodia’s geography, consider the following statements:
- The Mekong River flows about 510 km through Cambodia and serves as a major transport and economic lifeline.
- The Tonle Sap Lake is connected to the Mekong by the Tonle Sap River and expands during the monsoon.
- The Dangrek Mountains lie in the north, while the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains lie in the southwest of Cambodia.
- Mount Aôral, the highest peak in Cambodia, is located in the Himalayan range.
Which of the above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1 and 4 only (e) All four
(Statement 4 is wrong; Mount Aôral is located in the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains of Cambodia, not in the Himalayan range.)
Q4. Consider the following statements about UPI’s international footprint:
- UPI is now live in countries including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.
- NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) is the wholly owned subsidiary of NPCI responsible for UPI’s international expansion.
- UPI’s international expansion has been driven exclusively by partnerships with central banks of European countries.
- UPI is one of the building blocks of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
Which of the above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 and 4 only (e) All four
(Statement 3 is wrong; UPI’s international expansion has involved a mix of partnerships across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, not just European central banks.)
Answer Key
- (d), All four statements are correct.
- (d), All four statements are correct.
- (a), Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because Mount Aôral is in the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains of Cambodia, not the Himalayas.
- (a), Statements 1, 2, 4 are correct; Statement 3 is wrong because UPI’s expansion has involved partnerships across many regions, not just European central banks.
