Best Indian Banks for NRIs Living in the UK: NRE vs NRO

I considered HDFC Bank and Axis Bank as well.

HDFC has a strong NRI banking setup and supports NRE/NRO account services, including resident-to-NRO conversion.

Axis is also worth looking at if you want NRI banking plus remittance services. Its current NRI account documentation specifically covers NRI/PIO/OCI applicants, and its remittance service supports customers in the UK sending money to NRE/NRO accounts in India.

For me, the deciding factor would be:

SBI: branch network and UK presence

ICICI: digital banking and UK-focused NRI services

HDFC: broad NRI banking and relationship services

Axis: remittance and NRI account options

Kotak: worth comparing for its private-bank NRI offering

I'd get the latest fee schedule from each bank because minimum balances, service charges, and deposit rates can change.

I use ICICI Bank and have been fairly happy with it.

I originally chose it because I wanted to manage everything from the UK without frequently visiting India. Their UK NRI banking offering covers NRE and NRO accounts, and the NRE account is designed for overseas income with repatriation of eligible balances. Their NRO account is intended for India-based income such as rent, dividends and pension.

The mobile and internet banking experience has been convenient for me.

If most of your money is earned in the UK and you're mainly transferring funds to India, I'd compare the exchange rates, remittance charges and account fees rather than choosing purely based on the bank's reputation.

Also check whether your existing Indian account needs to be converted to NRO. Don't simply keep operating a resident account after becoming non-resident.

I’ve been using SBI for several years from the UK. One reason I chose it was that it has a dedicated UK presence, and its UK operation facilitates NRI accounts maintained with SBI branches in India. Their UK site specifically lists NRE, NRO, and FCNR accounts for eligible NRIs/PIOs/OCIs.

For me, the biggest advantage has been having a large SBI network in India. My parents also live in a smaller city, so branch availability matters.

The downside is that some processes can feel slower than private banks, particularly when you need paperwork or KYC changes.

I wouldn't say SBI is automatically the best for everyone. If your priority is purely digital banking and quick online servicing, you may prefer one of the private banks.

But if you want a combination of UK access + large Indian branch network + NRE/NRO/FCNR, SBI is worth considering.