DUBAI: UAE residents planning to send money to India around the end of September may want to allow additional processing time, as Indian bank unions have called a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30.
The proposed action could affect some UAE-to-India remittances that require processing or verification by an Indian bank. However, the strike does not mean every international transfer from the UAE will be delayed.
The timing is particularly relevant for people who regularly send money to India for household expenses, loan payments, education costs or other commitments.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has said it will proceed with the three-day strike over its demand for a five-day banking week. India’s Ministry of Finance has urged employees to avoid disruption, while the government and bank managements have continued discussions with the unions.
Why UAE-to-India transfers could be affected
An international remittance involves more than the UAE-based bank, exchange house or money-transfer service receiving the payment.
Depending on the transfer route, funds may have to be credited by the recipient’s Indian bank or pass through additional banking processes. If those processes require staff intervention while participating banks are affected by the strike, a transfer could take longer than the provider’s normal delivery window.
That does not mean a transfer initiated in the UAE will automatically stop.
The actual timing can vary according to the remittance provider, the receiving bank, the payment route and whether the transaction can be completed automatically. The source report also notes that the strike has not yet begun and that its effect on individual transfers cannot be assumed in advance.
Indian government changes Sunday banking arrangements
The proposed strike follows the weekend of September 26 and 27. To reduce the potential disruption, India’s Ministry of Finance announced that all public-sector banks and regional rural banks will operate normally on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
The ministry said the Reserve Bank of India had approved Sunday operations for bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests. The additional operating day is intended to give customers another opportunity to complete banking requirements before the proposed strike begins.
The government’s September 21 statement said the proposed September 28–30 strike would coincide with the September 30 half-yearly bank closing, potentially increasing pressure on banking operations.
What UAE residents sending money to India should check
Anyone sending money for a time-sensitive expense should check the delivery estimate provided by their UAE bank or exchange house before confirming the transaction.
It is also useful to establish whether the quoted delivery time means that the money will be credited to the recipient’s Indian account, rather than simply accepted by the remittance provider.
For an urgent payment, sending funds earlier may provide more time if additional processing is required. Customers should also retain the transaction reference so the payment can be traced if the expected credit does not arrive.
The Indian banking disruption may be more relevant to transfers that require action at the receiving bank than to transactions that can move through automated systems.
Will UPI and online banking continue?
Indian banks have been advising customers to make use of digital channels such as internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs and UPI during the proposed strike.
These services can help customers carry out many routine domestic transactions when branches are affected. However, the availability of UPI or mobile banking does not necessarily determine how quickly an international remittance reaches an Indian bank account.
A UAE resident sending an international transfer should therefore check the status with the remittance provider as well as the receiving bank if a payment is time-sensitive.
Strike plans remain subject to developments
The UFBU has said it intends to proceed with the September 28–30 strike after talks failed to resolve its demand for a five-day banking week. Business Standard reported on September 23 that the unions had rejected appeals from the Department of Financial Services, the Indian Banks’ Association and bank managements to defer the action.
At the same time, the Indian government has continued efforts to minimise disruption. The Ministry of Finance said one of the unions’ principal demands — withdrawal of the Performance Linked Incentive scheme — had already been addressed by keeping the scheme in abeyance, while the five-day banking week remained unresolved.
For UAE residents, the practical issue is therefore not a blanket suspension of UAE-to-India remittances, but the possibility that some transfers requiring Indian bank processing could take longer around the strike dates.
Anyone with an urgent payment to make should check the latest status with the remittance provider and receiving bank before relying on the normal delivery time.
Will UAE-to-India money transfers stop during the September 2026 bank strike?
No blanket stoppage has been announced. Some transfers could take longer if they require processing by an Indian bank affected by the strike.
When is the Indian bank strike scheduled?
The United Forum of Bank Unions has called a nationwide three-day strike from September 28 to September 30, 2026.
Will Indian banks be open before the strike?
India’s Ministry of Finance has said public-sector banks and regional rural banks will operate on Sunday, September 27, ahead of the proposed strike.
Should UAE residents send money to India before the strike?
For time-sensitive payments, residents may wish to allow additional processing time and check the delivery estimate with their remittance provider and receiving bank.
Will UPI work during the bank strike?
Indian banks have advised customers to use digital services such as UPI, mobile banking, internet banking and ATMs. However, these services do not guarantee the processing time of an international remittance.
Does the strike affect every UAE-to-India transfer?
Not necessarily. The impact can depend on the remittance service, receiving bank and whether the transaction requires manual processing.
What should I do if my transfer is delayed?
Keep the transaction reference and contact the UAE remittance provider first. If the provider confirms that the funds have been sent, the recipient can also check with the Indian receiving bank.
Why is the strike important for banks?
The proposed strike coincides with India’s September 30 half-yearly bank closing, when reconciliation, provisioning and treasury-related operations take place.
