The IDBI Bank Limited (IDBI Bank or IDBI) is a Scheduled Commercial Bank under the ownership of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Government of India. It was established by Government of India as a wholly owned subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India in 1964 as Industrial Development Bank of India, a development finance institution, which provided financial services to industrial sector.

In 2005, the institution was merged with its subsidiary commercial division, IDBI Bank, and was categorised as "Other Public Sector Bank" category. Later in March 2019, Government of India asked LIC to infuse capital in the bank due to high NPA and capital adequacy issues and also asked LIC to manage the bank to meet the regulatory norms. Consequent upon LIC acquiring 51% of the total paid-up equity share capital, the bank was categorised as a 'Private Sector Bank' for regulatory purposes by Reserve Bank of India with effect from 21 January 2019. IDBI was put under Prompt Corrective Action of the Reserve Bank of India and on 10 March 2021 IDBI came out of the same. At present direct and indirect shareholding of Government of India in IDBI Bank is approximately 95%, which Government of India (GoI) vide its communication F.No. 8/2/2019-BO-II dated 17 December 2019, has clarified and directed all Central/State Government departments to consider IDBI Bank for allocation of Government Business. Many national institutes find their roots in IDBI like SIDBI, EXIM, National Stock Exchange of India, SEBI, National Securities Depository Limited. Presently, IDBI Bank is one of the largest Commercial Banks in India.

As of July 2025, the bank has an aggregate balance sheet size of ₹4,11,661. It also has more than 2,100 Banking branches and more than 3,700 ATMs. 24 banking outlet- fixed BC, spreading all over India as of July 2025, including one overseas branch in Dubai. It operates 58 e-lounges as of 1 August 2023^[update]. As of September 2021^[update], LIC holds the majority stake in this bank having 49.24% shareholding and the Government of India holds 45.48%, with LIC being in control of the management of the bank.

Development Banking emerged after the Second World War and the Great Depression in the 1930s. The demand for reconstruction funds for the affected nations compelled in setting up of national institutions for reconstruction. At the time of Independence in 1947, India had a fairly developed banking system. The adoption of bank dominated financial development strategy was aimed at meeting the sectoral credit needs, particularly of agriculture and industry. Towards this end, the Reserve Bank concentrated on regulating and developing mechanisms for institution building. The commercial banking network was expanded to cater to the requirements of general banking and for meeting the short-term working capital requirements of industry and agriculture. Specialized Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) such as the IDBI, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI were set up to meet the long-term financing requirements of industry and agriculture.

The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) was established in 1964 under an Act of Parliament as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India. In 1976, the ownership of IDBI was transferred to the Union government and it was made the principal financial institution for coordinating the activities of institutions engaged in financing, promoting and developing industry in India. IDBI provided financial assistance, both in rupee and foreign currencies, for green-field projects and also for expansion, modernization, and diversification purposes. In the wake of financial sector reforms unveiled by the government since 1992, IDBI also provided indirect financial assistance by way of refinancing of loans extended by State-level financial institutions and banks and by way of rediscounting of bills of exchange arising out of the sale of indigenous machinery on deferred payment terms.

After the public issue of IDBI in July 1995, the government shareholding in the bank came down from 100% to 75%.

IDBI played a pioneering role, particularly in the pre-reform era (1964–91), in catalyzing broad-based industrial development in India in keeping with its government-ordained 'development banking' charter.
Some of the institutions built with the support of IDBI are the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), the Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), the Credit Analysis & Research Ltd, the Exim Bank (India), the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India.

A committee formed by RBI recommended the development financial institution (IDBI) to diversify its activity and harmonize the role of development financing and banking activities by getting away from the conventional distinction between commercial banking and developmental banking. To keep up with reforms in financial sector, IDBI reshaped its role from a development finance institution to a commercial institution. With the Industrial Development Bank (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Act, 2003, IDBI attained the status of a limited company viz., IDBI Ltd.^{[citation needed]}