Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2004-05/289 · issued 02 Dec 2004 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notified a USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam, effective Nov 1, 2004, for financing Indian exports of capital goods and other eligible items. LCs must be opened by Oct 31, 2006, and disbursements by Apr 30, 2007.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must open Letters of Credit (LCs) for the USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam by Oct 31, 2006.
Disbursements under this credit must be made by Apr 30, 2007.
For after-sales service exports, agency commission up to 5% is allowed, but must be deducted from the invoice and reimbursed at 90% of value.
Exporters must pay agency commission for non-after-sales service exports from their own resources.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore helps an exporter named Rohan understand the rules for the Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam. Rohan, an exporter from Indore, wants to ship machinery to Vietnam under the USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit. The forex & trade-finance officer, Mr. Kumar, advises Rohan to open a Letter of Credit by Oct 31, 2006, and to ensure that any agency commission for after-sales service exports does not exceed 5% and is paid only in Vietnam by invoice deduction. Mr. Kumar also reminds Rohan that commission for non-after-sales service exports must be paid from his own resources.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a credit agreement with Vietnam on Aug 12, 2004, effective Nov 1, 2004, for a USD 27 million line of credit. This circular informs authorised dealers about the facility, including last dates for LC opening (Oct 31, 2006) and disbursement (Apr 30, 2007). It also specifies rules on agency commission, limiting it to 5% for after-sales service exports, payable only in Vietnam.
What it means for you
Banks can now facilitate Indian exports to Vietnam under this credit line, which covers capital goods, machinery, consumer durables, and other Exim Policy-eligible items. The commission rules require careful handling: for after-sales service exports, commission up to 5% is allowed but must be deducted from the invoice and reimbursed at 90% of value; otherwise, exporters must pay from their own funds. This opens a structured financing channel for exporters targeting the Vietnamese market.
What you must do
Inform exporter customers about the USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam and its terms.
Advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for full details and ensure LCs are opened by Oct 31, 2006.
Ensure shipments under this credit are declared on GR/SDF forms as per existing instructions.
Verify that any agency commission for after-sales service exports does not exceed 5% and is paid only in Vietnam by invoice deduction.
Remind exporters that commission for non-after-sales service exports must be paid from their own resources.
Who it affects
Authorised dealer banks handling foreign exchange, Indian exporters to Vietnam, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective Nov 1, 2004
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 21:36 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What is the total amount of the line of credit to Vietnam?
The line of credit is for an aggregate sum of USD 27 million, effective from November 1, 2004.
What are the key deadlines for this credit facility?
Letters of credit must be opened by October 31, 2006, and disbursements completed by April 30, 2007.
Can agency commission be paid under this line of credit?
Yes, but only for exports requiring after-sales service, up to 5% of f.o.b./c&f/c.i.f. value, and must be paid in Vietnam by invoice deduction. For other exports, commission must be paid from the exporter's own resources.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2004-05/289
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.29
December 02, 2004
To
All Banks Authorised to Deal in Foreign Exchange
Madam / Sirs,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit
of USD 27 million to Government of Vietnam
The Export-Import Bank of India
(Exim Bank) has concluded an agreement with the Government of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam on August 12, 2004 making available to the latter a Line
of Credit (LOC) upto an aggregate sum of USD 27 Million (US Dollar twenty-seven
million only). The credit agreement has become effective on November 1, 2004.
The credit is available for financing export of capital goods, plant and machinery,
industrial manufactures, consumer durables and any other item eligible for being
exported under the Exim Policy of Government of India from India to buyers in
Vietnam.
2. The last dates for opening letters
of credit and disbursement of credit are October 31, 2006 and April 30, 2007
respectively.
3. Shipments under the credit will
have to be declared on GR / SDF Forms as per instructions issued from time to
time.
4. While no agency commission shall
be payable in respect of exports financed under the above line of credit, Reserve
Bank may consider, on merit, requests for payment of commission upto a maximum
extent of 5 per cent of the f.o.b. / c & f / c.i.f. value in respect of
goods exported and which require after sales service . In such cases,
commission will have to be paid in Vietnam only by deduction from the invoice
of relevant shipment and the reimbursable amount by the Exim Bank to the negotiating
bank will be 90 per cent of the f.o.b./c & f/c.i.f. value minus commission
paid. Approval for the payment of commission should be obtained before the relevant
shipment is effected. In other cases (i.e. exports not involving after sales
service), if the exporter is required to pay agency commission, he will have
to use his own resources for such payments.
5. Authorised Dealer Banks may
bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their exporter constituents
and advise them to obtain full details of the Line of Credit from Exim Bank's
office or its website.
6. The direction contained in this
circular has been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA), 1999 (42 of 1999) and is without prejudice to permissions
/ approvals, if any, required under any other law.
Yours faithfully,
F.R.Joseph
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2004-05/289 · issued 02 Dec 2004. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Authorised dealer banks handling foreign exchange, Indian exporters to Vietnam, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 27 Mn Line of Credit to Vietnam” is: “Inform exporter customers about the USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam and its terms.” (RBI issued this 02 Dec 2004).
Circular: RBI/2004-05/289 -- Exim Bank's USD 27 Mn Line of Credit to Vietnam
Issued: 02 Dec 2004
Action required: Inform exporter customers about the USD 27 million Exim Bank line of credit to Vietnam and its terms.
Action required: Advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for full details and ensure LCs are opened by Oct 31, 2006.
Action required: Ensure shipments under this credit are declared on GR/SDF forms as per existing instructions.
Action required: Verify that any agency commission for after-sales service exports does not exceed 5% and is paid only in Vietnam by invoice deduction.
Action required: Remind exporters that commission for non-after-sales service exports must be paid from their own resources.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=2042&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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