HomeCirculars › RBI/2008-09/279

Exim Bank's $25 mn Line of Credit to Syria

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/279 · issued 14 Nov 2008 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 25 million Line of Credit to Syria for financing eligible Indian exports. Banks must facilitate GR/SDF declarations, allow commission payments from own resources post-realization, and inform exporters.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a query from an exporter selling machinery to Syria under this loan. The officer checks that the exporter fills the GR form correctly, and when the exporter asks to pay a commission to a Syrian agent, the officer explains that the loan doesn't cover commissions, so the exporter must pay from their own funds after the full payment for the machinery is received.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with Syria on June 5, 2008, effective October 27, 2008, for USD 25 million. The credit covers up to 90% of contract value for eligible goods under India's Foreign Trade Policy. Last date for LC opening/disbursement is 48 months for project exports and 72 months (June 4, 2014) for supply contracts.

What it means for you

Banks can now process export transactions under this LOC with Syria, ensuring compliance with FEMA provisions. No agency commission is payable under the LOC, but exporters may use own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full payment realization. AD banks must verify GR/SDF form declarations as per RBI guidelines.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks handling export transactions, Exporters dealing with Syrian buyers under this LOC, Exim Bank as the credit provider

❓ 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 maximum financing percentage under this LOC?

Exim Bank can finance up to 90% of the FOB/CFR/CIF contract price for eligible contracts with the Syrian government.

Can exporters pay agency commission under this LOC?

No agency commission is payable under the LOC itself, but exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission after full contract value realization, subject to RBI guidelines.

What are the deadlines for using this LOC?

For project exports, LCs must be opened and disbursed within 48 months from scheduled contract completion. For supply contracts, the deadline is 72 months from the credit agreement execution date (June 5, 2008), i.e., June 4, 2014.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2008-09/279 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.36 November 14, 2008 To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 25 million to the Government of the Syrian Arab  Republic Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated June 5 ,2008 with the Government of the Syrian Arab  Republic   making  available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD  25 million (USD  twenty five million )  for financing export of goods from India . The goods from India for exports under this 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 contract, an amount up to 90% (ninety percent) of the FOB (free on board)/CFR (cost & freight ) / CIF (cost, insurance &freight) contract price of the Eligible Contract may be made available to the Government of the Syrian Arab  Republic. 2. The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from October 27, 2008 and date of execution of Agreement is June 5, 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) of contract(s) in case of project exports and 72 months (June 4, 2014) from the execution date of the Credit Agreement in case of 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 Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency 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.  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/2008-09/279 · issued 14 Nov 2008. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
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 dealing with Syrian buyers under this LOC, Exim Bank as the credit provider), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $25 mn Line of Credit to Syria” is: “Inform exporter constituents about Exim Bank's LOC to Syria and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 14 Nov 2008).

  1. Circular: RBI/2008-09/279 -- Exim Bank's $25 mn Line of Credit to Syria
  2. Issued: 14 Nov 2008
  3. Action required: Inform exporter constituents about Exim Bank's LOC to Syria and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
  4. Action required: Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
  5. Action required: Ensure shipments under this LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per prevailing RBI instructions.
  6. Action required: Verify that exports financed under this LOC comply with India's Foreign Trade Policy eligibility criteria.
  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=4640&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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