Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/145 · issued 21 Sep 2007 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 30 million Line of Credit to Honduras for financing Indian exports of eligible goods and services, with at least 85% Indian content. Banks must advise exporters and follow FEMA guidelines.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a 30 million US dollar loan to Honduras so Indian companies can sell goods and services there.
At least 85 out of every 100 rupees worth of goods or services must come from India.
When you ship goods under this loan, you must fill out a GR or SDF form (special export papers).
You cannot pay any agent fee (commission) using this loan money; you can only pay it from your own money or a special foreign-currency account (EEFC) after you get paid in full.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore learns about this new loan to Honduras. She tells her exporter client, who sells medical equipment, that they can now get paid through this loan. She reminds them to fill out the GR form for each shipment and to never use the loan money for agent commissions—only their own EEFC account after full payment.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with Honduras on August 17, 2006, effective August 21, 2007, for USD 30 million. The credit supports exports of communication, medical, and transportation equipment under India's Foreign Trade Policy, with a minimum 85% Indian-origin requirement.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now access this LOC to secure payments for eligible exports to Honduras. AD banks must ensure shipments are declared on GR/SDF forms and that no agency commission is paid from the credit; exporters may use EEFC balances for commissions post-realization.
What you must do
Inform exporter clients about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Ensure shipments under this credit are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Verify that at least 85% of goods/services supplied are of Indian origin.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters to Honduras, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective August 21, 2007
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 15:13 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What is the last date for opening Letters of Credit under this LOC?
For project exports, LCs must be opened within 48 months from the scheduled completion date of the contract. For supply contracts, the deadline is 72 months from the credit agreement date (August 16, 2012).
Can exporters pay agency commission under this LOC?
No agency commission is payable from the credit. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC account balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange, after full contract value realization.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-2008/145
A.
P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 08
September
21, 2007
To,
All
Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam
/ Sir,
Exim
Bank's Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 30 million to Government of the Republic of
Honduras
Export-Import
Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated August 17, 2006 with
the Government of the Republic of Honduras, making available to the latter, a
Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 30 million (USD Thirty million) for financing exports
of eligible goods and services in terms of the said Agreement relating to projects
for communication, medical and transportation equipments (including vehicles,
trucks, etc.), 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 or be of Indian origin.
2.
The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from August 21, 2007. Under the
LOC, the last date of opening of Letters of Credit will be 48 months from scheduled
completion date(s) of contract(s) in case of project exports and 72 months from
execution of the Credit Agreement in case of supply contracts (August16, 2012).
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
- l (AD Category - l) banks may allow such remittance after realization 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)
Chief
General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/145 · issued 21 Sep 2007. 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 (AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters to Honduras, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 30 mn LOC to Honduras” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 21 Sep 2007).
Circular: RBI/2007-2008/145 -- Exim Bank's USD 30 mn LOC to Honduras
Issued: 21 Sep 2007
Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Ensure shipments under this credit are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
Action required: Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Action required: Verify that at least 85% of goods/services supplied are of Indian origin.
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=3822&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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