SWIFT/BIC codes in India: banks starting with S

India: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In India we have 4272 SWIFT/BIC codes. You will need such a code mostly when making international transfers, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Pick a bank from the list to see the head office code and any branch codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, what transfers cost and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, do not guess.

This list is based on public sources that we update periodically. Banks reorganise, change names and retire codes. Before any payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is a comparison site, not a bank.

Be wary of invoices containing a new account – a common fraud method. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account.

Banks in India starting with :letter

This page only shows banks in India beginning with :letter in alphabetical order. The figures for India mentioned here apply to every bank we list.

If the bank you need is missing here, try the full list – the registered name can differ from the name people use. The full overview for India remains available when you cannot find the bank here.

Which bank in India has the most codes?

Of the 394 banks in India, State Bank of India has the most codes. The head office uses SBININBBXXX.

How many codes a bank has tells you something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. If not a branch code is given, SBININBBXXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

Bank or transfer service for India?

An international bank payment to India often costs more than you think. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest part of the cost. A simple test: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. Before your next transfer to India, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay.

International payments to India and the BIC

Since India is outside SEPA, an international payment normally goes through SWIFT. This means the payment always needs the SWIFT/BIC code of the recipient’s bank in addition to the account details.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number rather than an IBAN. The recipient’s bank often has instructions for payments from abroad. SWIFT payments can pass through one or more intermediary banks.

Receiving money in India from abroad

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address.

The code of your bank appears in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. You can include your bank’s name and city as well.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

The structure of a India SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long. It starts with four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

No matter which bank, all India codes have the same fifth and sixth letters. Codes with a different country code belong to a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

An 11-character code adds a branch code. Choose a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it.

Transfer times to India

There is no single delivery time for payments to India: many arrive the same day or the next. Payments made after the cut-off time or on a weekend or public holiday often go out the next business day.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often provide tracking in their app so you can follow the payment.

The Indian Rupee (INR) and conversion costs

The currency in India is the Indian Rupee (INR). When you pay another currency, the amount has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives. In many cases you pay less if you send INR straight away through a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Exchange rates change all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.