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ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card Review: Fees, Rewards & Benefits

Explore the ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card for defense personnel. Features 5X rewards on CSD, zero annual fees, and complimentary lounge access. Apply now.

Vyaya Team · Mar 2026
5 min read
Value Score
8.0 / 10
Annual Fee
₹0
Best For
defense-personnel, frequent-rail-traveler
Network
Visa
Expert Verdict

The ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card is an excellent entry-level lifetime free card for defense personnel, offering solid value on daily essentials and CSD spends. While the lounge access spend criteria have increased, the insurance benefits and zero fees make it a reliable secondary or primary card for service members.

ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card credit card by ICICI Bank - Visa network
REWARD SUMMARY
0.25% Base Rewards
Dedicated to those who dedicate their lives to the nation.
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The Bottom Line

The ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card is an excellent entry-level lifetime free card for defense personnel, offering solid value on daily essentials and CSD spends. While the lounge access spend criteria have increased, the insurance benefits and zero fees make it a reliable secondary or primary card for service members. With no annual fee, it offers 0% rewards on csd purchases and title embossing. For anyone researching icici bank parakram credit card, the verdict is simple: recommended.

It earns a base reward rate of 0.25% and stacks best when your spending lines up with defense-personnel, frequent-rail-traveler.

What we like
+Lifetime free card with no joining or annual fees for defense personnel.
+Accelerated 5X reward points on CSD, grocery, and departmental store spends.
+Complimentary domestic airport and railway lounge access.
+Personalized touch with Defence Services title embossed on the card.
+Comprehensive insurance cover including ₹20 Lakh Air Accident insurance.
What we don't
High spend requirement of ₹75,000 per quarter to unlock airport lounge access.
Reward points on accelerated categories are capped at 1,000 per month.
Redemption handling fee of ₹99 plus GST applies to every request.

Who Should Get This Card

Use this as a quick filter before comparing rewards or fees in detail.

Best fit for

Ideal
+
defense-personnel

Tailored benefits for CSD purchases and zero maintenance costs.

Best value above ₹15,000/month
+
frequent-rail-traveler

Offers 2 complimentary railway lounge visits per quarter with a low spend threshold.

Best value above ₹5,000/month

Probably not for

Skip
high-international-spender

Standard 3.5% forex markup and no international lounge access on the base variant.

Is It Worth It For You?

Slide to your typical monthly card spend. We'll do the rest.

Calculate Your Value

Adjust your typical monthly spend by category.

🍽️
Dining
05,000Max ₹50k
Est. Returns
✈️
Travel
010,000Max ₹1L
Est. Returns
🛒
Shopping
08,000Max ₹80k
Est. Returns
🥬
Groceries
06,000Max ₹40k
Est. Returns
Annual rewards0
Annual feeFREE
Net Value (Year 1)+0
Net Value (Year 2+)+0

Sign in for personalized estimates based on your actual spending

Reward Rates

ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card offers 0.25% basic reward rate.

Quick Calculator

Estimate earnings for a specific purchase

CSD Purchases
0%
Grocery
0%
Departmental Stores
0%

Milestone Benefits

Spend ₹75,000

1 Complimentary Domestic Airport Lounge Access for the next quarter

Fees & Charges

Joining fee₹0
Annual fee₹0
Fee waiverN/A

Eligibility

  • Min Income: ₹3 Lakhs
  • Min Credit Score: 700
  • Exclusively for Indian Defence and Paramilitary personnel (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Paramilitary Forces). Applicant must be between 21 and 65 years of age.

Exclusions & Terms

Fuel

  • Eligible for surcharge waiver instead

Rent

  • Standard ICICI exclusion

Insurance

  • Standard ICICI exclusion

Utilities

  • Standard ICICI exclusion

Cash Advance

  • Non-rewardable transaction

Compare with Alternatives

Feature
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Axis Bank Pride Platinum Credit Card by Axis Bank - credit card comparison
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View Details
Annual Fee
₹0
₹250
Joining Fee
₹0
₹0
Reward Rate
0.25%
0.4%
Network
Visa
Visa
Best For
defense-personnelfrequent-rail-traveler
defence-personnellow-spender

Frequently Asked Questions

3 data-backed answers from our card database

What is the annual fee for the ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card?+

The ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card is a lifetime free card, meaning there is no joining fee and no annual or renewal fee.

How many reward points do I earn on CSD purchases?+

You earn 5 reward points for every ₹100 spent at Canteen Stores Department (CSD), grocery stores, and departmental stores, capped at 1,000 points per month.

What is the spend requirement for airport lounge access?+

To avail of the 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per quarter, you must spend a minimum of ₹75,000 in the previous calendar quarter.

Ready to apply?

₹0 fee. Excellent rewards. Apply now securely.

Apply on ICICI Bank

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