HomeCirculars › RBI/2007-2008/116

Exim Bank's $30 mn LOC to Mali: Key Guidelines for AD Banks

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/116 · issued 17 Aug 2007 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 30 million Line of Credit to Mali for financing eligible exports, including an electricity transmission project. At least 85% of goods/services must be sourced from India. Banks must ensure GR/SDF form compliance and handle commission remittances per existing rules.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

Rukmini, a forex & trade-finance officer in Indore, helps an exporter understand the LOC terms and ensures that shipments are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions. She also guides the exporter to use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full contract value realisation.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of Mali on April 13, 2007, effective July 24, 2007, for USD 30 million. The LOC covers exports for an electricity transmission and distribution project from Cote d'Ivoire to Mali, with a minimum 85% Indian content requirement. Terminal utilisation is 48 months for project exports and 72 months (by April 12, 2013) for other supply contracts.

What it means for you

AD Category-I banks must facilitate export financing under this LOC while ensuring compliance with FEMA provisions. No agency commission is payable under the LOC, but if needed, exporters can use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full contract value realisation. Banks should guide exporters to Exim Bank for detailed terms.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks handling export transactions, Exporters eligible under India's Foreign Trade Policy, Exim Bank and its counterparties in Mali

❓ 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 requirement under this LOC?

At least 85% of the goods and services financed under the LOC must be supplied by the seller from India.

Can exporters pay agency commission under this LOC?

No agency commission is payable under the LOC. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC account balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full contract value realisation, subject to existing RBI instructions.

What is the terminal utilisation period for project exports under this LOC?

For project exports, the terminal utilisation period is 48 months from the scheduled date of contract. For other supply contracts, it is 72 months from the credit agreement execution date, i.e., until April 12, 2013.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-2008/116 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 05 August 17, 2007 To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 30 million to the Government of the Republic of Mali Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an agreement dated April 13, 2007 with the Government of the Republic of Mali, making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 30 million (USD Thirty million only) for financing exports of eligible goods and services including consultancy services, for electricity transmission and distribution project from Cote d’lvoire to Mali, which are eligible for export under the Foreign Trade Policy of the Government of India. Out of the total credit by Exim Bank under this agreement, at least 85 per cent of the goods and services shall be supplied by the seller from India.  2. The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from July 24, 2007. Under the LOC, the terminal utilisation period is 48 months from scheduled date of contract in case of project exports and April 12, 2013 (72 months from execution of the Credit Agreement) in case of other supply contracts. 3. Shipments under the credit 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 line of credit. However, if required, the exporter may use his own resources or utilise balances of his EEFC account for payment of commission in free foreign exchange. Authorised Dealer Category – I (AD Category – I) banks may allow such remittance after realisation of full payment of contract value subject to compliance with the prevailing instructions on payment of agency commission.  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. 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 is without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.     Yours faithfully, (Salim Gangadharan) C hief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/116 · issued 17 Aug 2007. 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 (AD Category-I banks handling export transactions, Exporters eligible under India's Foreign Trade Policy, Exim Bank and its counterparties in Mali), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $30 mn LOC to Mali: Key Guidelines for AD Banks” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and its terms, including the 85% Indian content requirement.” (RBI issued this 17 Aug 2007).

  1. Circular: RBI/2007-2008/116 -- Exim Bank's $30 mn LOC to Mali: Key Guidelines for AD Banks
  2. Issued: 17 Aug 2007
  3. Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and its terms, including the 85% Indian content requirement.
  4. Action required: Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realisation and compliance with prevailing rules, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
  6. Action required: Direct exporters to Exim Bank's Mumbai office for full LOC details.
  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=3782&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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