Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/361 · issued 28 Jan 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notified AD banks of Exim Bank's USD 25 mn line of credit to Senegal for rural electrification and fishing projects. Banks must facilitate exports under this LOC with 85% Indian content, no agency commission, and GR/SDF form declarations.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a loan of 25 million US dollars to Senegal for two projects: bringing electricity to villages (15 million) and helping fishing businesses (10 million).
At least 85% of the goods or services in each contract must come from India; only up to 15% can be from other countries.
No payment for agents (agency commission) can be made from this loan money; if needed, the exporter must pay from their own funds after getting full payment for the contract.
Every shipment under this loan must be reported on special forms called GR or SDF, as the Reserve Bank of India requires.
Letters of credit must be opened and money paid out within 48 months after a project is finished, or by September 18, 2014 for supply contracts.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a query from an exporter wanting to sell electrical cables to Senegal under this line of credit. The officer explains that 85% of the cable value must be made in India, and no commission can be paid from the loan funds. She helps the exporter fill out the GR form correctly and reminds them to contact Exim Bank for the full loan details.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a credit agreement with Senegal on September 19, 2008, effective January 2, 2009, for a USD 25 million line of credit. The LOC covers two projects: rural electrification (USD 15 mn) and fishing industry development (USD 10 mn). Exports must have at least 85% Indian content, and the last date for LC opening/disbursement is 48 months from project completion or 72 months from agreement date for supply contracts.
What it means for you
AD Category-I banks must now process export transactions under this LOC with specific compliance: ensure 85% Indian content, no agency commission from LOC funds, and proper GR/SDF form filing. Banks can allow commission remittances from exporter's own resources after full contract realization. This opens a structured financing channel for Indian exporters to Senegal.
What you must do
Inform exporter customers about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Ensure all shipments under this LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
Verify that at least 85% of contract value goods/services are sourced from India.
Do not allow agency commission payments from LOC proceeds; permit only from exporter's own resources after full payment realization.
Track LC opening and disbursement deadlines: 48 months from project completion or 72 months from agreement date (Sept 18, 2014) for supply contracts.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks handling export transactions, Indian exporters to Senegal in rural electrification and fishing sectors, Exim Bank as LOC provider
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective January 2, 2009
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 11:04 IST
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 exports under this LOC?
At least 85% of the contract price must be for goods and services supplied from India. The remaining 15% can be procured from outside India, but this excludes consultancy services.
Can we pay agency commission from the LOC proceeds?
No, no agency commission is payable under this LOC. However, exporters can use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full contract value is realized.
What are the key deadlines for this LOC?
The credit agreement is effective from January 2, 2009. For project exports, LCs must be opened and disbursed within 48 months from scheduled completion. For supply contracts, the deadline is 72 months from the agreement execution date, i.e., September 18, 2014.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2008-09/361
A. P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 48
January 28, 2009
To
All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 25 million
to the Government of the Republic of Senegal
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated September 19, 2008 with the Government of the Republic of Senegal making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 25 million (USD twenty five million) for financing eligible goods and services including consultancy services from India for (i) Rural Electrification project (USD 15 million), and (ii) Fishing Industry development project (USD 10 million) in the Republic of Senegal. The goods and services including consultancy services 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 Agreement, the goods and services of the value of at least 85 per cent of the contract price shall be supplied by the seller from India, and the remaining 15 percent goods and services (other than consultancy services) may be procured by the seller for the purpose of Eligible Contract from outside India.
2. The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from January 2, 2009 and date of execution of Agreement is September 19, 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 (September 18 , 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/2008-09/361 · issued 28 Jan 2009. 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 handling export transactions, Indian exporters to Senegal in rural electrification and fishing sectors, Exim Bank as LOC provider), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 25 mn Line of Credit to Senegal” is: “Inform exporter customers about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 28 Jan 2009).
Circular: RBI/2008-09/361 -- Exim Bank's USD 25 mn Line of Credit to Senegal
Issued: 28 Jan 2009
Action required: Inform exporter customers about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Ensure all shipments under this LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
Action required: Verify that at least 85% of contract value goods/services are sourced from India.
Action required: Do not allow agency commission payments from LOC proceeds; permit only from exporter's own resources after full payment realization.
Action required: Track LC opening and disbursement deadlines: 48 months from project completion or 72 months from agreement date (Sept 18, 2014) for supply contracts.
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=4802&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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