Banking in India originated in the first decade of 18th century with ‘The General Bank of India’ coming into existence in 1786. Banks such as Punjab National Bank were established, in 1895 in Lahore and Bank of India, in 1906, in Mumbai - both of which were founded under private ownership. The Reserve Bank of India formally took on the responsibility of regulating the Indian banking sector from 1935. After India's independence in 1947, the Reserve Bank was nationalized.
Now there are many private and government banks that are operating in India and each one of them has their own target sector. Few of them only work in rural sector while others in both rural as well as urban. Many even are only catering in cities. Some are of Indian origin and some are foreign players.
Major Banks in India
Major Nationalized Banks in India :
• Bank of India
• Bank of Baroda
• Canara Bank
• Corporation Bank
• Dena Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Punjab & Sind Bank
• Punjab National Bank
• Allahabad Bank
• UCO Bank
• State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur
• State Bank of Hyderabad
• State Bank of Indore
• State Bank of Mysore
• Indian Bank
• Central Bank of India
• Syndicate Bank of India
• Vijaya Bank
• State Bank of India
• Oriental Bank of Commerce
• United Bank of India
• Bank of Maharashtra
• Andhra Bank
• Union Bank of India
• State Bank of Patiala
• State Bank of Saurashtra
• State Bank of Travancore
Major Private Banks in India :
• Axix Bank
• HDFC Bank
• ICICI Bank
• Kodak Mahindra Bank
• Federal Bank
• IDBI Bank
Major Foreign Banks Operating in India :
• ABN Amro Bank
• American Express Bank
• Deutsche Bank
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
• ANZ
• BNP Paribas
• HSBC
• Standard Chartered Bank
• Citibank India
• DBS Bank
• Barclays Bank
Cooperative Banks in India :
• Suco Bank
Major Merged or Defunct Banks in India :
• Arbuthnot & Co
• Bank of Bombay (part of the State Bank of India)
• Bank of Calcutta (part of the State Bank of India)
• Bank of Chettinad
• Bank of Madras (part of the State Bank of India)
• Bank of Madura (part of ICICI Bank Ltd.)