Article’s

Background: Financial inclusion remains a central policy objective in India, and the emergence of FinTech has reshaped how banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and technology startups collaborate to extend financial services to underserved populations. Objective: This study examines collaborative FinTech models involving banks, NBFCs, and startups, and evaluates their contribution to financial inclusion in India. Methodology: A descriptive research design with a quantitative approach was adopted. Data were collected from 150 respondents using a structured questionnaire and a convenience sampling technique, and were analysed using MS Excel and SPSS through frequency distributions, percentage analysis, and chi-square testing. Findings: The results indicate that collaborative FinTech arrangements, supported by infrastructure such as UPI, Aadhaar-based verification, and the Account Aggregator framework, significantly improve access to credit, digital payments, and formal banking services, particularly for semi-urban and rural populations. Trust in digital platforms and awareness of government schemes were found to be key determinants of adoption. Conclusion: The study concludes that collaboration among banks, NBFCs, and startups produces a more effective financial inclusion ecosystem than any single actor could achieve independently, though challenges around trust, digital literacy, and regulatory coordination persist and require continued policy attention. Keywords: FinTech, Financial Inclusion, NBFC, Digital Lending, UPI, Collaborative Ecosystem