If your business sends WhatsApp messages through the WhatsApp Business API and your account is billed in US dollars, you have a deadline. Meta launched INR billing for India on 1 January 2026, and every WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) of an eligible India business must move to INR billing by 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, Meta says it will stop delivering messages from non-INR accounts of eligible customers. For a business that sends booking reminders, OTPs or order updates on WhatsApp, that would mean messages simply stop going out.

Who needs to act

  • Businesses whose Meta "Sold-To" country is India and whose WhatsApp Business Account is billed in USD.
  • Businesses that pay Meta directly or through a WhatsApp provider (BSP). Your provider may handle the migration, but you should confirm it.
  • If your account already bills in INR, you do not need to do anything for this deadline.
Six-step checklist to migrate a WhatsApp Business Account to INR billing
Messages from non-INR accounts of eligible India businesses stop on 1 January 2027.

How the migration works

An existing USD account cannot simply be switched to INR. Meta moves you to a new INR-billed WhatsApp Business Account, and since June 2026 offers a currency migration API to make this easier. According to Meta's documentation, message templates are cloned to the new account, but template IDs change and older-format templates may not migrate. Insights and analytics stay with the old account.

Migration checklist

  1. Check your billing currency in WhatsApp Manager or ask your provider.
  2. Ask your provider for their migration plan and date. Do it in November, not in the last week of December.
  3. List every template you use and check each one exists and is approved on the new account.
  4. Update template IDs in your CRM, Shopify app, website or automation tool if they are hard-coded.
  5. Test every flow after migration: OTP, booking confirmation, reminders, order updates, broadcasts.
  6. Export reports you need from the old account, because analytics do not move.
  7. Update payment details for INR billing and budget for 18% GST.

Will costs change?

INR billing uses Meta's India rupee rate card (for example ₹0.8631 per marketing message and ₹0.1150 per utility message, list rates verified on 6 November 2026), so you avoid currency conversion. Separately, since 1 October 2026 service replies beyond 1,000 per number per month are charged. See our WhatsApp API cost guide.

Need help?

We set up and maintain WhatsApp automations on the official API for Mumbai businesses, including checking templates and integrations after a migration. A founder replies within 45 minutes during working hours.