Which bank is recognised as the first bank to introduce a credit card in India for its customers?

Introduction / Context:
This question is about the history of banking products in India, focusing on credit cards. Credit cards are now very common, but they were once a new financial product offered by only a few banks. General knowledge questions often ask which institution first introduced a particular product, and in this case the product is the credit card in the Indian market.

Given Data / Assumptions:

We are asked to identify the first bank to introduce a credit card in India.
Options include HSBC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, and Central Bank of India.
We rely on known historical facts about early credit card launches in the country.
We assume the question refers to the first Indian bank to issue a credit card.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall that Central Bank of India is credited as the first Indian bank to introduce a credit card, known by names such as Centralcard, around the early nineteen eighties. While foreign banks may have offered charge cards earlier to select clients, competitive exam material consistently identifies Central Bank of India as the answer to this question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Exclude newer private banks like ICICI Bank from the early years of credit card history, since they were not yet leading players when cards were first introduced. Step 2: Consider State Bank of India, which is very large, but remember that its credit card initiatives gained prominence later. Step 3: Note that HSBC Bank is a foreign bank, but general knowledge questions about first bank to introduce credit card in India usually refer to Central Bank of India. Step 4: Recall that Central Bank of India launched Centralcard, regarded as the first indigenous credit card issued by an Indian bank. Step 5: Select Central Bank of India as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
Banking awareness guides and multiple choice question compilations almost uniformly state that Central Bank of India was the first bank in India to introduce a credit card for its customers. Historical summaries of retail banking products also highlight this contribution. This consistency across sources allows us to confirm that option Central Bank of India matches the intended exam answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
HSBC Bank, although a pioneer in some international markets, is not commonly cited as the first bank to introduce credit cards to the Indian consumer market in general knowledge notes. ICICI Bank came to prominence in retail banking and cards later, especially after liberalisation. State Bank of India is a major issuer of cards now but is not credited with the very first introduction in India. Therefore, choosing any of these would not align with the standard fact tested in exams.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to assume that the biggest present day card issuers must also have been the first, leading to wrong answers like SBI or ICICI Bank. Another error is ignoring the role of older public sector banks that played key pioneering roles in the past. Remembering a simple association such as Central Bank of India equals first Indian credit card helps avoid confusion.

Final Answer:
The first bank to introduce a credit card in India was Central Bank of India.