HomeCirculars › RBI/2007-08/268

Exim Bank's $100 mn Line of Credit to Nepal

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-08/268 · issued 31 Mar 2008 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD banks of Exim Bank's $100 million Line of Credit to Nepal for financing road, rural electrification, power transmission, and hydro projects. Banks must ensure GR/SDF form declarations, no agency commission, and advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for details.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Mumbai, working with an AD Category-I bank, informs an exporter constituent about the $100 million Line of Credit to Nepal and advises them to contact Exim Bank for full details. The exporter then uses this Line of Credit to supply goods for a rural electrification project in Nepal, ensuring that at least 50% of the contract price is for goods and services supplied from India. The banker verifies the shipment declarations on GR/SDF forms and ensures compliance with RBI instructions.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a credit agreement with Nepal on September 14, 2007, effective January 1, 2008, providing a $100 million Line of Credit. The circular specifies minimum Indian content requirements: 85% for Devighat hydro repairs, 70% for transmission lines, and 50% for other projects. Last dates for LC opening and disbursement are 48 months from project completion or 72 months from agreement date.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now tap this LOC to supply goods and services for Nepal's infrastructure projects, with clear local sourcing thresholds. AD banks must ensure proper documentation on GR/SDF forms and restrict agency commission payments; any commission must come from exporter's own resources or EEFC accounts after full contract value realization. This opens a structured financing channel for Indian exports to Nepal.

What you must do

Who it affects

All Category-I Authorised Dealer banks, Indian exporters of goods and services to Nepal, Exim Bank

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the minimum Indian content required for projects under this LOC?

For major repairs to Devighat hydro project, at least 85% of contract price must be from India; for interconnectivity/transmission lines, 70%; for other projects, 50%.

Can exporters pay agency commission under this LOC?

No agency commission is payable under the LOC. If required, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange, but only after full contract value is realized.

What is the validity period for opening LCs under this credit?

For project exports, LCs must be opened within 48 months from scheduled completion dates; for other supply contracts, within 72 months from the credit agreement execution date (January 1, 2008).

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-08/268 A. P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 32 March 31, 2008 To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD100 million to the Government of Nepal Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated September 14, 2007 with the Government of Nepal, making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 100 million (USD One hundred million only) for financing export of eligible goods towards road projects, rural electrification projects, power transmission projects and hydro  power projects in Nepal. The goods and services including consultancy services from India for exports under the Agreement are those which are eligible for export under the Foreign Trade Policy of the Government of India and whose purchase may be agreed to be financed by the Exim Bank under this Agreement. Out of the total credit  by Exim Bank under this Agreement, the goods and services of the value of at least (a) 85 per cent of the contract price if they are required for major repairs to Devighat hydro power project, (b) 70 percent of the contract price if they are to be used for interconnectivity / transmission lines project, and (c) 50 percent of the contract price in case of other projects, shall  be supplied by the seller from India, and the remaining goods and associated services may be procured by the seller for the purpose of an Eligible Contract from outside India. 2. The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from January 01, 2008. Under the LOC, the last date for opening of Letters of Credit and Disbursement will be 48 months from the scheduled completion date(s) in case of project exports and 72 months from the execution date of the Credit Agreement in case of other supply contracts. 3. Shipments under the LOC will have to be declared on GR / SDF Forms as per instructions issued by Reserve Bank from time to time. 4. No agency commission is payable under the above LOC. However, if required, the exporter may use his own resources or utilize balances of his EEFC account for payment of commission in free foreign exchange. Authorised Dealer Category - l (AD Category - l) banks may allow such remittance after realization of full payment of contract value subject to compliance with the prevailing instructions for payment of agency commission and the instructions on transactions with Nepal.  5. AD Category - I 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 at Centre One, Floor 21, World Trade Centre Complex, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005  or log on to www. eximbankindia. in. 6. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law. Yours faithfully (Salim Gangadharan) Chief General Manager-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-08/268 · issued 31 Mar 2008. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Category-I Authorised Dealer banks, Indian exporters of goods and services to Nepal, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $100 mn Line of Credit to Nepal” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 31 Mar 2008).

  1. Circular: RBI/2007-08/268 -- Exim Bank's $100 mn Line of Credit to Nepal
  2. Issued: 31 Mar 2008
  3. Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
  4. Action required: Ensure all shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Do not allow agency commission payments under this LOC; if needed, permit only from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full contract realization.
  6. Action required: Verify compliance with prevailing instructions on transactions with Nepal when processing remittances.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. 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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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=4090&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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