He was born at the Istana Balai Besar in Kota Bharu to Sultan Muhammad IV and his wife, Sultanah Zainab binti Nik Wan Muhammad Amin.

On 22 June 1911, his father appointed him "Tengku Sri Indra Mahkota Kelantan", becoming the heir apparent on 21 April 1921.

He served as deputy Judge of the High Court and later represented his brother in Singapore in 1942.

In 1953, he attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London where he shared an open carriage in the rain with Queen Sālote Tupou III of Tonga.

Sultan Ibrahim died from a cerebral haemorrhage in Istana Sri Cemerlang, Kota Bahru, on 9 July 1960 aged 63 after a reign of 16 years, and was succeeded as sultan by his third son, Sultan Yahya Petra.