In a brief but notable disruption to India’s digital payments infrastructure, the State Bank of India (SBI) announced that its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services are currently unavailable, with restoration expected by 02:00 PM IST today.
The bank shared the update on its verified social media account, advising customers to rely on alternative channels such as UPI Lite, IMPS, and ATM services in the interim.
Our services under UPI are unavailable and will be resumed by 02:00 PM IST, 19.07.2025
Meanwhile, customers are advised to use our other available services UPI lite, IMPS and ATM.
We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
— State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) July 19, 2025
“Our services under UPI are unavailable and will be resumed by 02:00 PM IST, 19.07.2025. Meanwhile, customers are advised to use our other available services — UPI Lite, IMPS, and ATM. We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your patience,” SBI stated.
The interruption comes amid increasing digital transaction volumes across the country, where UPI has become the preferred method for real-time payments. While the bank hasn’t cited a specific reason, such downtimes typically arise due to scheduled maintenance or backend syncing across payment gateways.
Industry observers note that SBI’s swift communication and alternative service recommendations helped prevent panic among users during peak weekday hours. Many merchants have temporarily switched to accepting UPI Lite and IMPS transfers.
Digital payment users and small businesses dependent on SBI’s UPI services are advised to monitor the bank’s official communication channels for restoration confirmation later this afternoon.
