SWIFT/BIC codes in India: banks starting with Z

Finding a SWIFT code in India

In India we have 4272 SWIFT/BIC codes, spread over 394 banks. Every code points to a bank or a specific branch or department and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Pick the bank from the list to see the head office code and any branch codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The sections below explain the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before a payment.

Sending money to India for less

What you pay for a payment to India has more than one component, and the fee on your screen is only one of them. Besides the fee, intermediary banks may take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee. An easy check: set the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side, showing what actually arrives in India before you commit.

India and the Indian Rupee

India uses the Indian Rupee. If you send another currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way.

Who does the conversion affects the final amount. Check what INR the recipient gets with several services before choosing one. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

How long does a transfer to India take?

How fast a payment arrives in India is determined by a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Payments made late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact their own bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services usually show a status in their app so you can follow the payment.

The structure of a India SWIFT/BIC code

Bank identifier codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters, sometimes followed by three more. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

In every code from India, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of India, which makes these codes easy to recognise. A code with other letters in that position belong to another country.

An 11-character code adds a branch code, where XXX means the head office. Use a branch code just when the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

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 the payment always needs the BIC of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

Depending on the country, accounts are identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN. The receiving bank often has a list of required details for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. Before it arrives, a transfer can pass through intermediary banks that take a fee.

Which bank in India has the most codes?

Of the 394 banks we list for India, State Bank of India is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its main office uses SBININBBXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Many codes often reflects separate codes for branches, departments or services. Making a payment to State Bank of India? Go with SBININBBXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

What a sender needs to pay you in India

To receive a transfer from abroad into a India account, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your postal address.

The code of your bank is in our list but always compare it with your own bank details. You can add your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Fees for incoming transfers differ per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. On invoices, state how the fees are split.

Filter: banks in India with :letter

This filter narrows the list to banks from India that begin with :letter to make searching quicker. The counts in the introduction still cover the whole country, not just this letter.

If a bank does not appear here, try another letter – the registered name can differ from the name people use. The full overview for India remains available when the letter filter does not help.

Check the code before you pay

Ask the recipient to send you the account details straight from their online banking. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges, so compare it with the list on this page.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check them from time to time. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes. For a payment that matters, check the code with the recipient. We are an independent comparison site, not a bank.

Fraudsters often use payment requests carrying new bank details that look completely genuine. A real SWIFT code says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.