SWIFT/BIC codes in India: banks starting with C

Bank SWIFT codes for India

In India our database holds 4272 SWIFT/BIC codes from 394 financial institutions. Every code points to an institution or a specific branch or department.

Look for the bank you need in the list and open its page for all codes we have. The rest of this page explain how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

How long does a transfer to India take?

How fast money reaches India is determined by a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays usually start the next business day.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi. Each gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it if something goes wrong.

The largest SWIFT network in India: State Bank of India

In our directory, State Bank of India holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in India. The head office of State Bank of India has SBININBBXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes, so the count is not a ranking of size. Paying someone at State Bank of India? Go with SBININBBXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

International payments to India and the BIC

Since India does not belong to SEPA, an international payment is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. That means you always need the BIC of the recipient’s bank, together with the account number or IBAN.

Not all countries use the IBAN; in that case the local account number is used instead. Check with the recipient which details their bank requires for payments from abroad; banks often publish instructions for this. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

What a transfer to India really costs

When you transfer money to India via a regular bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the offered rate against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. Before you send money to India, it is worth comparing the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Incoming international payments in India

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in India, give the sender everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Find the bank in the list on this page to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. You can include the name and city of your bank as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

What lands in your account is often less than the amount sent. Charges on incoming payments differ per bank; check the price list of your bank. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

What the letters in a India BIC mean

Each SWIFT/BIC code has eight or eleven characters in a fixed order. It starts with a four-letter bank code, then a two-letter country code and two characters for the location.

For banks in India, letters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of India – that is the quickest way to spot one. Codes with a different country code come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The optional last three characters stand for a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.

India and the Indian Rupee

India pays in the Indian Rupee. When you pay another currency, it has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Where the conversion happens affects how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. Check how much INR arrives with different providers; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. Rates for INR change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

About our data and how to check a code

The best place to find the correct BIC remains paperwork issued by the bank. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather bank codes from publicly available data and check them from time to time. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is a comparison site, not a bank.

Watch out for payment requests containing a new account. Before paying, confirm a change of bank details by phone, using a number you already had.

SWIFT codes in India: banks under :letter

This list shows only banks in India whose name starts with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals mentioned above still cover the whole country and not only this selection.

Bank not listed? Its official name might begin with another word, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. Try the full list for India if you are not sure the exact name.