The ones I've been using (as mentioned in my previous comment) are all personal cards, both credit and debit. While I don't have any first-hand info on business cards vis-a-vis international payments, I believe they should work the same way as the personal ones.

It is amazingly hard to get any information from anyone on this topic. I find it hard to believe that there are no other companies outside of India that have ever had to solve this problem :(

First hand experience. Personal cards (incl corporate cards) both debit and credit issued by ICICI and AMEX always worked internationally without a problem.

My SBI corporate card needed to be "activated" before international travel. It was NOT a Bank policy or Govt policy but something that the finance/accounts dept instructs bank to do to reduce risk of fraud (its nonsense, but there it is).

For all cards, it's between bank and customer. All AMEX and Most (all?) Visa/MasterCard should work internationally.

I am glad to hear that corporate cards can also be activated. It looks like the best option is far is provide customers with a guide on how to activate their cards. Still pretty high friction, but at least it is a viable solution.

>It is amazingly hard to get any information from anyone on this topic.

Truer words have seldom been written before.

What you might find even more amazing is the fact that almost ALL bank staffers are equally ignorant/in the dark about online/international payments. Case in point: I have had a Corporation Bank account of which the debit card just wouldn't work for online payments. Sometime ago, a niece opened an account with them (at a different branch). Shortly afterwards, she needed to make an international payment. On checking with the branch, she was told it (the debit card) wouldn't work. She thought of trying anyway and guess what - it DID work!! On coming to know this, I asked my branch - they said no idea. Next, I asked her branch - the same answer. I had also had a similar experience with ICICI bank debit card, that wouldn't work. After a good bit of struggle calling back and forth and personal visits to the branch, I learnt that their older debit cards won't work, but they do have a newer 'Chip and Pin' version that would work. After getting this (new) card, I've been able to use it without a problem (with 2FA).

HTH