State Bank of India (SBI) has been ranked the 16th strongest bank globally and the only Indian name with AAA+ rating, the highest accolade for brand strength, according to the 2026 Banking 500 journal released by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance on Thursday. The report also names HDFC Bank as the most valuable Indian banking brand, although it dropped seven places to 31 from its 2025 ranking in the global rankings. Strength vs. Value SBI’s brand value rose by 2% y-o-y to reach $8.1 billion as the bank claimed the 56th spot (down from 49 last year) among the most valuable global brands. HDFC Bank’s brand value saw a decline of 7% to reach $12.4 billion this year, but it climbed four places from 2025 to reach the 28th rank for brand strength globally. ICICI Bank’s brand value climbed by 19% to $5.5 billion, taking it six places ahead of last year’s ranking to 76.