The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is ramping up its cross-border payments platform, aiming for instant settlements by expanding partnerships in Asia and the Middle East. Already linked with Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal, India plans to include the UAE in its program. The RBI is also exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as a primary settlement tool. Currently, India's CBDC is a bank-to-bank solution, but future expansion to retail consumers is possible. Despite criticism from privacy advocates, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das emphasizes interoperability and offline solutions for wider CBDC adoption.