Article’s

India’s financial inclusion journey has been reshaped by the convergence of banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and FinTech startups, supported by public digital infrastructure such as UPI, Aadhaar, the Account Aggregator framework, and the Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN). While policy-level progress is well documented, comparatively little empirical work captures how ordinary customers perceive these collaborative arrangements. This study examines customer perception of collaborative FinTech services and their contribution to financial inclusion, with specific attention to trust, accessibility, and technology adoption. A descriptive, quantitative research design was adopted, using a structured questionnaire administered to 150 respondents selected through convenience sampling across urban and semi-urban locations in Karnataka. Data were analysed using frequency distributions, percentage analysis, and a chi-square test of independence to examine the association between exposure to collaborative FinTech models and perceived financial inclusion. The results indicate that respondents view bank-NBFC-startup collaboration favourably, particularly for digital lending and payment accessibility, though trust and rural reach remain comparative weak points. The chi-square analysis supports rejection of the null hypothesis, indicating a statistically significant relationship between collaborative FinTech adoption and perceived financial inclusion. The paper concludes with practical suggestions for banks, regulators, and FinTech firms seeking to deepen inclusive finance in India. Key Words: FinTech collaboration, financial inclusion, NBFCs, digital lending, customer perception, UPI ecosystem.