Introduction
IDBI Bank is one of India’s major commercial banks and operates as a Scheduled Commercial Bank. The bank is jointly owned by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the Government of India. It was originally established in 1964 as the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), a development financial institution created by the Government of India as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India. Its primary objective was to provide long-term financial assistance and developmental support to India’s industrial sector.
Over the years, IDBI evolved from a development finance institution into a full-fledged commercial bank. In 2005, IDBI merged with its banking subsidiary, IDBI Bank, and began operating as a universal bank offering a wide range of banking and financial services. Following capital infusion by LIC in 2019, LIC became the majority shareholder and gained management control of the bank. Consequently, the RBI classified IDBI Bank as a private sector bank for regulatory purposes.
Today, IDBI Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in India, offering retail banking, corporate banking, treasury operations, digital banking, and financial services to millions of customers. The bank has a widespread presence across the country with more than 2,100 branches, over 3,700 ATMs, numerous business correspondent outlets, e-lounges, and an overseas branch in Dubai. Besides its banking operations, IDBI has played a significant role in the development of India’s financial infrastructure and has contributed to the establishment of important institutions such as Small Industries Development Bank of India, Export-Import Bank of India, National Stock Exchange of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, and National Securities Depository Limited. As of 2025, the bank has a balance sheet size exceeding ₹4 lakh crore and continues to be an important institution in India’s banking and financial sector.