After payments service, WhatsApp is looking to hire an India Head

• This is the first time WhatsApp is looking for a dedicated India Head.
• The move could be a sign of seriousness around its payments platform.
• WhatsApp has over 200 million monthly active users in India.

It seems the move into payments services is bringing about changes in how WhatsApp operates in India. The company, for the first time, is looking for an India Head in the country, according to a job posting on Facebook Careers and WhatsApp's own jobs page.

The company is seeking an "exceptional individual" to run its products, including its "interest in peer to peer payments" in the country.

With over 200 million monthly active users on the platform from India, WhatsApp has always been serious about the country. However, it has never hired many employees here, even though its holding company, Facebook, has significant staff strength in India.

The move into payments services though makes WhatsApp more than just an instant messaging app. WhatsApp's service runs on the Government's UPI platform and has already been under scrutiny from various parties. Hiring an India Head will help the company deal with future needs more effectively.

In addition, it could be in anticipation of other payments platforms looking to enter the country. WhatsApp already has plenty of competition from the likes of PayTM and more, and Chinese WeChat has been expected to bring its payments services to India in future.

The job posting also details that WhatsApp's India Head will report to the company's COO in California. Currently, that position is held by Matthew Idema, who used to be the VP of Product at Facebook earlier.