How to Send Money From Australia to India

Money sent from Australia to India can go straight into an Indian bank account. Some providers can also pay to a UPI-linked account or for cash pickup, and Indian rules limit how much can be handed over in cash. If you're a non-resident Indian sending to your own account, which account you pay into matters as much as the provider.

This guide covers the ways to send, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules that affect your recipient, what changes the price, and how long it takes. We checked every figure on this page on 29 October 2026.

RemitHome.net.au is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not a bank or a money transfer business, we don't send money for anyone, and we're not registered with AUSTRAC because we don't provide remittance services. No link on this site is an affiliate link right now. If that changes, we'll say so in our affiliate disclosure, and it won't change what we write. This is general information, not financial advice or tax advice. Providers named on this page are examples we checked, not recommendations.

Before you start

For a bank deposit in India you'll normally need:

• the recipient's full name as it appears on their ID
• their bank account number
• the branch's IFSC (Indian Financial System Code), which the recipient's bank can confirm
• the purpose of the transfer, which some providers ask for

Western Union's Australia to India page, checked on 29 October 2026, lists exactly these for a bank transfer: account number, IFSC and purpose.

You'll also need your own ID. Registered providers in Australia must identify their customers, and AUSTRAC says that if a remittance business doesn't ask for ID, it's probably not registered.

Ways to send money to India

Moneysmart, run by ASIC, describes two main routes: your bank, or a money transfer business. Indian rules then decide how the money can be paid out at the other end.

Bank transfer from your Australian bank

Your bank sends the payment through SWIFT. You can usually set it up in online banking. It suits larger transfers and payments where the recipient bank needs a formal international payment, such as money into your own account. Ask your bank for the exchange rate, its fee, and whether any bank in between or the receiving bank may deduct a fee.

Online money transfer providers

Online providers let you pay in Australian dollars, often by PayID, PayTo, bank transfer or card, and deliver rupees to the recipient. As listed on 29 October 2026:

• Remitly's Australia to India page lists bank deposit, cash pickup and UPI delivery.
• Western Union's page lists bank accounts, UPI and cash pickup, and offers transfers to NRE accounts.

On the Indian side, the RBI's FAQs explain that many cross-border remittances come in through a Rupee Drawing Arrangement, where Indian banks tie up with licensed exchange houses abroad. Under that arrangement there's no limit on the amount or number of personal remittances, but there's no cash payout either: the money must be credited to the recipient's bank account. Indian banks can pass it on to other banks through NEFT or IMPS.

Cash pickup

Cash pickup in India runs under the RBI's Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS). The RBI's Master Direction, updated as on 29 September 2026, sets these rules:

• Only personal remittances, such as family maintenance, are allowed. Not trade, property purchases, investments, donations or credits to NRE accounts.
• Each remittance is capped at USD 2,500.
• A single beneficiary can receive only 30 remittances under the scheme in a calendar year.
• Up to INR 50,000 can be paid in cash. Anything above that must be paid by cheque, demand draft or payment order, or credited to the beneficiary's bank account.

So if you're sending more than a modest amount, or sending often, a bank deposit will usually be the more practical choice.

UPI and mobile delivery

Some providers now deliver to the recipient's UPI-linked bank account. Remitly and Western Union both list UPI on their Australia to India pages as at 29 October 2026. The money still ends up in a bank account, so the recipient needs one linked to UPI. Check the provider's app for exactly which UPI details it needs.

NRE and NRO accounts

If you're a non-resident Indian (NRI) or a person of Indian origin, including an OCI cardholder living outside India, you may hold an NRE or NRO account. The RBI's FAQs on non-resident accounts set out the difference:

• NRE account. Inward remittances from outside India can be credited. Balances are repatriable, meaning you can move them back out of India.
• NRO account. Can receive inward remittances and legitimate income earned in India. Balances aren't repatriable except current income, and NRIs and PIOs can move out up to USD 1 million per financial year (April to March) under conditions.

Because MTSS can't be used to credit an NRE account, money into an NRE account has to come through a banking channel. If you're paying into your own NRE account, confirm with the provider that it supports NRE deposits before you send. Tax treatment of these accounts is outside this guide. Ask your bank or a tax adviser.

What about LRS?

You may see India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) mentioned. It covers money going out of India. The RBI's FAQ says resident individuals can send up to USD 250,000 per financial year under LRS. It doesn't limit money you send into India from Australia, but it applies if your family later wants to send money abroad.

What affects the cost

Moneysmart says providers choose their own exchange rate and charge fees, and the cost depends on how much you send, where and how. For India, watch:

1. The exchange rate margin compared with the mid-market AUD to INR rate.
2. The transfer fee, flat or a percentage.
3. How you pay. Card payments can cost more than PayID or bank transfer.
4. How it's received. Bank deposit, UPI and cash pickup can be priced differently.
5. Fees taken in India by the receiving bank or a bank in between.

Our fees and exchange rate margins guide shows how to turn these into one total cost. For an independent comparison, Moneysmart points to SaverAsia, which compares transfers from Australia to Asian countries, including India.

How long it takes

Moneysmart says transfers can take anything from a few minutes to five business days. As stated on Western Union's Australia to India page on 29 October 2026, a bank transfer can take one banking day, can be real time with select Indian banks, and cash pickup can be ready in minutes.

Expect the first transfer to take longer while the provider checks your ID. Bank holidays in India and weekends in either country can add a day.

Limits

Providers set their own sending limits. As at 29 October 2026, Western Union's Australia to India page states a maximum daily limit of AUD 50,000 when paying by PayID, and says your limit depends on the service and your history. Remitly says its limits vary and it may ask for more documents.

If you pay a provider $10,000 or more in cash in Australia, the provider reports it to AUSTRAC as a threshold transaction. That's routine. Splitting cash payments to avoid the report is a criminal offence.

Check the provider and watch for scams

Money transfer businesses in Australia must be registered with AUSTRAC. Search the Remittance Sector Register by name or ABN before you use one. Our AUSTRAC guide explains how.

Scamwatch warns never to send money to someone you've only met online and never to transfer money for someone else, as it may be money laundering. Be wary of calls claiming to be from a government agency in India or Australia that demand an urgent transfer.

For other countries and the basics that apply to every transfer, see our guides home page.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to send money to an Indian bank account?

The recipient's name as on their ID, account number, the branch IFSC and often the purpose of the transfer. Your provider will also verify your own ID.

How much cash can my family collect in India?

Under the RBI's Money Transfer Service Scheme, as at 29 October 2026, up to INR 50,000 can be paid in cash, each remittance is capped at USD 2,500, and a person can receive 30 remittances a year. Larger amounts go into a bank account.

Can I send money from Australia to my NRE account?

Yes, inward remittances can be credited to an NRE account, but not through the MTSS cash scheme. Use your bank or a provider that confirms it supports NRE deposits.

Does LRS limit how much I can send to India?

No. LRS sets limits on residents of India sending money out, up to USD 250,000 per financial year. It doesn't limit money coming in from Australia.

Is UPI delivery the same as a bank deposit?

The money lands in a bank account linked to UPI, so the result is similar. Pricing and speed can differ, so compare both options in the provider's app.

How do I find the cheapest way to send money to India?

Enter the same AUD amount with your bank and two or three registered providers, then compare the rupees received after all fees. SaverAsia gives an independent snapshot.