The BoB Eterna is Bank of Baroda’s highest-tier Visa Infinite offering, co-issued with SBM Bank and operated on a premium metal card. It’s PSU bank pricing (low annual fee) with private-bank-style benefits — a rare combination in India. The catch: reward economics are solid but not category-leading, and customer service is classic PSU-bank pace.
Fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹2,499 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹2,499 + GST |
| Welcome benefit | 10,000 reward points (worth ~₹2,500 in vouchers) |
| Annual fee waiver | Spend ₹7.5 lakh / year |
| Foreign markup | 1.99% + GST |
| Finance charges | 3.49% per month / ~42% APR |
How rewards work
- Retail spend: 15 reward points per ₹100 (₹3.75% effective in catalog vouchers)
- Utility & insurance spend: 3 reward points per ₹100
- Fuel, rent, government, wallet: excluded
- Redemption: 1 RP = ₹0.25 cashback, ~₹0.40 vouchers
Milestones — where the card genuinely earns
- ₹2.5L spend: ₹2,000 voucher
- ₹5L spend: ₹3,500 additional voucher
- ₹7.5L spend: ₹4,000 additional voucher + annual fee waiver next year
- ₹10L spend: Taj InnerCircle Silver membership
Stack all four and you’re getting ₹9,500 in vouchers + Taj membership + fee waiver from ₹10L of annual spend.
Premium perks
- Domestic lounges: unlimited via Visa Infinite Privilege program
- International lounges: 2 visits/year via Priority Pass (verify current cap)
- Golf: 1 complimentary round per month (12/year) at partner courses
- Concierge: 24×7 Visa Infinite concierge
- Insurance: air-accident cover ₹1 crore, lost-card liability, purchase protection
Where Eterna wins
On a per-rupee basis, the combination of 3.75% effective base rate + unlimited domestic lounge + 12 golf rounds at a ₹2,499 fee is exceptional. Equivalent private-bank cards (HDFC Diners Black, ICICI Sapphiro) cost ₹10,000+ for similar benefits. If you can live with slower customer service, you’re paying 1/4 the fee for ~80% of the private-bank benefit.
Where it loses
- Voucher redemption catalog is smaller than HDFC/Axis
- No international lounge UNLIMITED access (only 2–4 visits)
- Dispute resolution is slower than private banks
- BoB’s mobile app experience is meaningfully behind HDFC/Axis
Who this card is for
- Best fit: existing BoB customers wanting premium benefits without premium fees
- Best fit: annual spenders ₹5–10L who play golf regularly
- Skip if: you travel internationally >4 times/year — lounge cap will bite
- Skip if: you prioritise slick app experience and fast dispute resolution
This is independent commentary, not financial advice.