To move towards digitization and empower the country digitally, the Indian government introduced the campaign of “Digital India” on 1st July, 2015.
Moving in alignment with the campaign, RuPay cards were launched as a payment network in June 2017.
RuPay payment network is the country’s initiative to facilitate both debit and credit card payments to the people. It offers the same facilities as a Visa or Mastercard.
As RuPay in itself is not a card but a payment network, it facilitates banks or other institutions that issue cards to issue either RuPay credit card or a RuPay debit card.
With more people becoming acquainted with the digitization initiative of the government, the use of credit cards has increased over time with around 700 banks issuing RuPay cards with the issued number of RuPay cards exceeding 350 million.
Therefore, to ease your confusion as to which bank to apply to for your RuPay Credit card, this blog will focus on some of the best RuPay credit cards that are available in India.
RuPay Credit Card
The name of the RuPay card is coined as an amalgamation of two words – “Rupee” and “Payment”.
The RuPay Credit Card makes sure that while using the card at merchant locations for the purchase of both goods and services in India as well as in RuPay-accepting countries abroad, the payment made is secured and safe.
The main promoters of the RuPay network include leading banks like –
- State Bank of India
- Punjab National Bank
- Bank of Baroda
- HSBC
- Bank of India
- Canara Bank Union Bank of India
- HDFC Bank
The RuPay Credit Card is available in three variants that include –
- RuPay Classic Credit Card
- This card offers individuals with basic credit card features including a low annual fee and conversion of huge amounts into easy EMIs. Additionally, the card is widely accepted and provides the facility of online bill payment as well.
- RuPay Platinum Credit Card
- This card is considered to be a versatile card that offers a range of benefits to its users like reward points, lounge access (domestic), fuel surcharge waiver, discounts on dining, utility bills, entertainment as well as shopping with merchants that they have partnered with, accident cover (personal) for an amount up to Rs. 2 lakhs as well as any time travel assistance.
- RuPay Select Credit Card
- This card offers luxurious benefits to its users like premium lifestyle benefits, any-time assistance for travel, dining etc., airport lounge access (both domestic & international), reward points, and accident insurance cover (free) for up to Rs. 10 lakhs.
Best RuPay Credit Card in India
Though numerous banks offer some of the best RuPay credit cards like PNB, SBI, IDBI, Union Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank etc, given below are the features of the RuPay credit cards of the top 4 banks –
Axis RuPay Credit Card
- The Axis Bank RuPay Credit Card is offered by one of the main private sector banks in the country. The credit card serves as a financial product that Axis Bank offers to its customers to provide them with financial assistance as well as convenience.
Though Axis Bank RuPay Credit Card has many variants which the user can choose from based on their financial needs and preferences, some of the key features of all the cards include –
- Widespread acceptance
- Reward points
- Zero lost card liability
- EMI options
- Contactless payment
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Online bill payment
- Low annual fee
Kotak RuPay Credit Card
- The Kotak RuPay Credit Card is offered by one of the leading sector banks in the country namely Kotak Mahindra Bank. Generally, it is along with the partnership of NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) that RuPay credit cards are issued in the country.
Though Kotak RuPay Credit Card has many variants which the user can choose from based on their financial needs and preferences, some of the key features of all the cards include –
- The Kotak RuPay Platinum Card also offers limited global acceptance along with widespread national acceptance
- Rewards as well as Cashbacks
- EMI Option
- Kotak RuPay Credit Cards also offer zero lost card liability if the losing or stealing of the card is reported on time
- Affordable annual fees
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Contactless payments
- Utility bill payments
- Online bill payments
Yes Bank RuPay Credit Card
- As the name suggests, Yes Bank RuPay Credit Card is offered by Yes Bank to its users in the form of various variants. The RuPay credit cards have been launched to promote the usage of a domestic payment system in the country and by providing Yes Bank RuPay credit card, the bank is helping in this initiative.
The user may choose any of the variants based on their financial needs and preferences and some of the key features of all the cards include –
- Widely accepted credit cards
- Rewards as well as cashbacks
- EMI options
- The bank does not hold you responsible for any transactions that are unauthorized in case the card is stolen/lost.
- Affordable annual fees
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Contactless payments
- Utility bill payments
- Online bill payment
HDFC RuPay Credit Card
- In order to help the domestic payment network, HDFC bank joined hands with RuPay to offer HDFC RuPay Credit Card to its users.
Though HDFC RuPay Credit Card has many variants which the user can choose from based on their financial needs and preferences, some of the key features of all the cards include –
- Affordable annual fees
- Widely accepted network
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Rewards and cashback
- Contactless payments
- EMI options
- Online bill payment
- Utility bill payment
- Zero lost card liability
Conclusion
RuPay credit cards have been a turning point in establishing the payments network of the country and have provided a secure and safe payment method due to the embedded EMV chip that it has which enhances customer security and ensures that all the transactions are done through complete protection.
Additionally, with the ever-emerging global presence of India and the developing relations with other countries, it is only a matter of time that RuPay credit cards will be entirely accepted globally just like a Visa or Mastercard.
