How to activate UPI without a SIM card?

Activating UPI typically requires a registered SIM card in your device for mandatory SMS-based verification. However, you can use UPI without a physical Indian SIM in the following ways:

• NRIs can link international mobile numbers from supported countries to their NRE or NRO accounts for UPI registration.
• The UPI Circle feature allows a primary user to link and authorize transactions for a secondary user who may not have a bank account or their own registered SIM.

Once verification is complete, some apps may permit transactions over Wi-Fi without the SIM, but the initial setup always requires mobile network authentication.