Routing Number vs IFSC Code (and SWIFT): US & India

If you have ever tried to send money between the US and India, you have probably hit the confusion this guide clears up: a US form asks for a routing number, an Indian bank gives you an IFSC code, and somewhere a wire form demands a SWIFT code. They are all bank identifier codes, but each works in a different place, and using the wrong one is the most common reason a transfer bounces. The US-India corridor is the largest remittance flow in the world, so a lot of people run into exactly this.

The short version is up top: India does not have a routing number, the US does not have an IFSC code, and international wires use a third code (SWIFT) on top of the local one. The rest of this guide gives you the side-by-side comparison, real broken-down examples of each code, where to find yours, and exactly which codes you need to send money each direction.

Routing number vs IFSC code vs SWIFT: the comparison

A routing number, an IFSC code, and a SWIFT code are all bank identifier codes, but each works in a different place: routing numbers inside the US, IFSC codes inside India, and SWIFT codes across borders. The table below is the whole relationship at a glance.

	US routing number	India IFSC code	SWIFT / BIC code
What it identifies	The bank (US)	The exact bank branch (India)	The bank internationally
Format	9 digits	11 characters: 4 letters + 0 + 6	8 or 11 characters
Example	021000021 (Chase, New York)	SBIN0004093 (SBI, Park Street, Kolkata)	SBININBB (SBI, Mumbai)
Used for	Domestic US: ACH, wires, checks	Domestic India: NEFT, RTGS, IMPS	Cross-border wire transfers
Where to find it	Bottom-left of a US check, bank app	Chequebook, passbook, RBI site	Bank statement, bank website
Country	USA only	India only	Worldwide

Does India have a routing number?

No, India does not use US-style routing numbers. For domestic transfers India uses the 11-character IFSC code, which identifies the exact bank branch, and for money coming from abroad it uses the bank's SWIFT/BIC code. The closest US equivalent of an IFSC code is the ABA routing number, but it is not an exact match: a routing number identifies only the bank, not the branch, so a US transfer needs the routing number plus your account number to reach you.

The reverse is also true. The US has no IFSC equivalent. A domestic US transfer needs a 9-digit routing number plus the account number, and money arriving from abroad uses the bank's SWIFT/BIC code. So if a US direct-deposit form asks for a "routing number" for an Indian account, the value it really needs is the IFSC for a domestic-style credit, or the SWIFT code for an international wire. There is no single number that plays the routing-number role in both countries.

What each code is, and how it is built

A routing number is a 9-digit code that identifies a US bank or credit union in the Federal Reserve payment system. The American Bankers Association created it in 1910 to standardise check clearing. The nine digits carry meaning: positions 1 to 4 encode the Federal Reserve district and processing centre, positions 5 to 8 identify the bank, and position 9 is a check digit. JPMorgan Chase's primary New York routing number, 021000021, breaks down as 02 (New York Fed district), 10 (processing centre), 0002 (Chase), 1 (check digit). Large banks hold several routing numbers, one per region plus separate ones for ACH and wires.

An IFSC code (Indian Financial System Code) is an 11-character code that identifies one specific bank branch in India. The Reserve Bank of India introduced it in 2004 with NEFT. The first four letters are the bank code, the fifth character is a reserved 0, and the last six identify the branch. So SBI's Park Street, Kolkata branch is SBIN0004093: SBIN for State Bank of India, 0, and 004093 for that branch. Other bank codes work the same way: HDFC (HDFC Bank), ICIC (ICICI Bank), AXIS (Axis Bank), BARB (Bank of Baroda), PUNB (Punjab National Bank). Every branch of every bank has its own IFSC, so a single bank has thousands of them.

A SWIFT/BIC code is an 8- or 11-character code that identifies a bank internationally. It is issued by SWIFT, based in Belgium, and is what routes cross-border wires. The structure is four bank letters, two country letters, two location characters, and an optional three-character branch code. SBI's code SBININBB reads as SBIN (SBI), IN (India), BB (Mumbai); add XXX or a branch code for the 11-character form. Chase's primary SWIFT code is CHASUS33. SWIFT is sometimes called BIC (Bank Identifier Code); the two names mean the same thing.

Where to find each code

For a US routing number, the reliable sources are the bottom-left 9-digit group on any paper check, your bank's app or online banking under account details, and the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory.

For an India IFSC code, check your chequebook (printed on the cover and on each leaf), your passbook's first page, your bank's app under account or branch details, and the RBI IFSC lookup at rbi.org.in.

For a SWIFT/BIC code, look on your bank statement, the bank's website (usually under NRI or international-transfer help), or netbanking. Both routing numbers and IFSC codes are also publicly listed, so searching "bank name branch IFSC" or "bank name routing number" returns the code.

Routing number vs account number

A routing number identifies your bank, while an account number identifies your specific account. People mix these up constantly, so it is worth separating cleanly.

	Routing number	Account number
Identifies	The bank	Your individual account
Shared or unique	Same for everyone at that bank or region	Unique to you
Public or private	Public	Private, keep it confidential
Length (US)	9 digits	Usually 8 to 12 digits

On a US check, reading the bottom line left to right, the first 9-digit group is the routing number, the next group is your account number, and the last group is the check number. A deposit or transfer always needs both the routing number (to find the bank) and the account number (to find you inside it).

The US sibling codes: ABA, ACH, Fedwire, and MICR

An ABA number and a routing number are the same thing; the real distinctions are between the ACH, wire, and check versions. This trips up a lot of US transfers, and almost no explainer lays it out, so here it is.

• ABA number = routing number. "ABA routing number" is just the formal name, after the American Bankers Association that created the system. Any "ABA number" is the routing number.
• ACH vs wire (Fedwire) routing numbers. A US bank often assigns a different 9-digit number for ACH payments (direct deposit, bill pay) than for wire transfers. Using the check or ACH number on a wire form can bounce the payment, so use the one the form actually asks for.
• MICR line. MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is not a code type; it is the magnetic-ink line along the bottom of a check where the routing number, account number, and check number are all printed. In India, MICR was the older branch code that IFSC replaced for electronic transfers.

What you need to send money between the US and India

To send money between the US and India you need the recipient's SWIFT code plus their local code: the IFSC for money going into India, and the account and routing number for money going into the US. Getting the set complete is what keeps a wire from bouncing.

Sending money from the US to India, ask the recipient for: their bank's SWIFT/BIC code (for example SBININBB), the branch IFSC (for example SBIN0004093), the full account number, the account holder's name as it appears on the account, and the bank and branch address. Indian banks also often record a purpose code (such as P1301 for family maintenance) for FEMA compliance, which the sending service usually prompts for.

Sending money from India to the US, ask the recipient for: their US bank's SWIFT/BIC code (for example CHASUS33), the account number, the ABA or wire routing number, the account holder's name, and the bank's address. For which India rail carries the domestic leg, see IMPS vs NEFT vs RTGS; for the account itself, see what is a checking account. Note that within India, UPI hides the IFSC behind a simple VPA like name@okhdfcbank, so everyday domestic transfers rarely need the code typed out.

What changes after a bank merger

A bank merger usually changes these codes within 1 to 2 years. In the US, the surviving bank consolidates routing numbers gradually, and old numbers keep working during a transition window, often 1 to 3 years, while customers are told to update. The BB&T and SunTrust merger that became Truist consolidated routing numbers over about 2 to 3 years, and Capital One's acquisition of Discover is working through its own migration.

Indian mergers are more disruptive because IFSC codes change at the branch level. The 2020 merger of 10 public-sector banks into 4 anchors reissued IFSC codes: OBC and United Bank customers moved to PUNB, Andhra and Corporation Bank to UBIN, Syndicate Bank to CNRB, and Allahabad Bank to IDIB. Old codes worked for roughly 6 to 12 months, then stopped, and customers who missed the switch saw inbound transfers bounce. The safe habit in either country is to update every standing instruction, autopay, salary credit, SIP, and EMI within about 6 months of a merger announcement rather than waiting for the deactivation date.

Frequently asked questions

Does India have a routing number? No. India does not use US-style routing numbers. For domestic transfers India uses the 11-character IFSC code, which identifies the exact bank branch (for example SBIN0004093), and for money coming from abroad it uses the bank's SWIFT/BIC code (for example SBININBB). If a US form asks for a "routing number" for an Indian account, the value it actually needs is either the IFSC (for a domestic-style credit) or, for an international wire, the SWIFT code.

What is the US equivalent of an IFSC code? The closest US equivalent is the ABA routing number, but it is not an exact match. An IFSC code identifies one specific bank branch, while a US routing number identifies only the bank (or its processing region), not the branch. That is why a US transfer needs the routing number plus your account number to reach you, whereas an Indian transfer needs the IFSC plus your account number. For international transfers into the US, the equivalent code is the bank's SWIFT/BIC code.

What is the difference between a routing number and an IFSC code? Both are bank identifier codes for domestic transfers, but they identify different things. A US ABA routing number is a 9-digit numeric code that identifies the bank. An IFSC code is an 11-character alphanumeric code assigned by the Reserve Bank of India that identifies a specific branch of a specific bank. So a US bank has only about 1 to 3 routing numbers, while an Indian bank has thousands of IFSC codes, one per branch. US transfers route to a bank then to your account; Indian NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS transfers route to a specific branch.

Is an IFSC code the same as a SWIFT code? No. An IFSC code is for transfers inside India (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS) and identifies a bank branch. A SWIFT/BIC code is for international transfers and identifies a bank globally. They coexist: an Indian bank branch has an IFSC for domestic payments and its bank has a SWIFT code for money from abroad. Sending money from the US to an Indian account usually needs both, the SWIFT code to reach the bank internationally and the IFSC to reach the branch.

Can I use an IFSC code for an international transfer? Not on its own. Foreign banks do not recognise IFSC codes; an international wire is routed using the SWIFT/BIC code. When receiving money from abroad you typically give both the SWIFT code (so the money reaches your bank) and the IFSC (so your bank routes it to your branch), along with your account number. Supplying only the IFSC for an international wire will usually cause it to fail or be returned.

What is the difference between a routing number and an account number? A routing number identifies your bank; an account number identifies your specific account. The routing number is public and the same for everyone at that bank or region (9 digits in the US); the account number is private and unique to you (usually 8 to 12 digits). On a US check, the routing number is the first group at the bottom-left and the account number is the group next to it. Any deposit or transfer needs both.

Where do I find my routing number or IFSC code? US routing number: the leftmost 9-digit group at the bottom of a paper check, in your bank's app or online banking under account details, or in the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory. India IFSC code: on your chequebook (cover and each leaf), your passbook, your bank's app under account or branch details, or the RBI IFSC lookup on rbi.org.in. Both are also publicly listed, so searching "bank name branch IFSC" or "bank name routing number" returns the code.

What happens to my routing number or IFSC code after a bank merger? It usually changes within 1 to 2 years. In the US, the surviving bank consolidates routing numbers gradually and old numbers keep working during a transition window (often 1 to 3 years). In India, mergers reissue IFSC codes at the branch level; the 2020 merger of 10 public-sector banks into 4 anchors gave affected customers new IFSC codes with roughly a 6 to 12 month grace period. In both cases, updating your recurring payments within about 6 months of the announcement avoids bounced transfers.

In summary

Routing numbers, IFSC codes, and SWIFT codes are all bank identifier codes, but they do not overlap: a US routing number identifies a bank inside the US, an Indian IFSC code identifies a bank branch inside India, and a SWIFT/BIC code identifies a bank internationally. India has no routing number and the US has no IFSC; the closest equivalence is that a routing number plays the domestic role in the US that an IFSC plays in India, except it stops at the bank rather than the branch. For a transfer between the two countries you attach the SWIFT code plus the local code (IFSC into India, account and routing number into the US). Get the full set right and the money lands; miss the SWIFT code and it bounces.

Sources

• Reserve Bank of India, IFSC Code Database and Lookup, rbi.org.in
• Reserve Bank of India, PSU Bank Consolidation Notifications, 2020, rbi.org.in
• Federal Reserve Bank Services, E-Payments Routing Directory, frbservices.org
• American Bankers Association, Routing Number Policy and Administration, aba.com
• SWIFT, BIC (Business Identifier Code) Standards, swift.com