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 Government of India 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 as 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 re-discounting of bills of exchange arising out of sale of indigenous machinery on deferred payment terms.

Today, IDBI Bank is an Indian government-owned financial service company, formerly known as Industrial Development Bank of India, headquartered in Mumbai, India. Central government is the owner of this bank and employees will be called as Central Govt staffs. It is currently 10th largest development bank in the world in terms of reach, with 3700 ATMs, 1995 branches, including one overseas branch at Dubai, and 1382 centers. It is one of 21 commercial banks owned by the Government of India. The Bank has an aggregate balance sheet size of INR 3.74 trillion as on 31 March 2016.