Google is gearing up to launch Android Pay in India later in 2017 by testing the service using government-backed payment protocols, The Economic Times reported.

Sources told the newspaper Google is investigating the possibility of utilising the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) – a system designed to increase financial inclusion across the country which is operated by the National Payments Corporation of India and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.

Banks and several mobile payment companies in the country already include UPI integration, including Samsung Pay, Truecaller and Paytm, in addition to many of the country’s major financial institutions. The system enables interoperability between providers to ease money transfer.

During April, rumours emerged WhatsApp was developing a mobile payments service based on the UPI to expand the range of products it offers to its userbase of 200 million in the country.

Reports of Android Pay’s forthcoming India launch follows the unveiling of a number of technical changes to the platform in mid-May, in addition to confirmation of the next five market launches which will take its footprint of Google’s service to 15 countries.