Home SWIFT/BIC code India
India SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code IN in positions 5-6
- Example
- SBININBB
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + IN (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
- An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office, commonly in Mumbai
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read IN, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}IN[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$An Indian SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer — a different system from the IFSC code Indian banks use for domestic transfers through NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS. Every Indian BIC has IN fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and almost all of the country’s largest banks anchor their SWIFT head office in Mumbai, India’s financial capital.
Major Indian bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| State Bank of India | SBININBB | Mumbai |
| HDFC Bank | HDFCINBB | Mumbai |
| ICICI Bank | ICICINBB | Mumbai |
| Axis Bank | AXISINBB | Mumbai |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read IN, and the remaining characters follow the letter-or-digit pattern for the location and branch segments — entirely in your browser, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code fits the Indian BIC pattern, not that SBIN, HDFC, ICIC, or AXIS still identifies an operating bank, or that the location/branch suffix is current. SWIFT/BIC codes carry no checksum digit, so a made-up code that matches the shape still passes.
Scope: format validation only, and only for the SWIFT/BIC used in cross-border transfers — a correctly formatted BIC says nothing about whether an IFSC code entered elsewhere on the same form is valid.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for an Indian bank?
An Indian BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, IN fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example SBININBB for State Bank of India's Mumbai head office.
How do I read an Indian BIC?
In HDFCINBB, HDFC identifies HDFC Bank, IN is the country, and BB is the Mumbai location code — Mumbai is where nearly every major Indian bank's SWIFT head office sits, since it's the country's financial capital.
Is a SWIFT/BIC code the same as an IFSC code in India?
No. An IFSC identifies a specific bank branch for domestic transfers within India (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS); a SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank for international wire transfers. Indian banks typically hold both, and they're not interchangeable.