Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/315 · issued 11 Feb 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 15 million Line of Credit to Mali for financing Indian exports of goods, machinery, and services for agriculture and food processing projects. At least 85% of contract value must be sourced from India.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a 15 million US dollar loan to Mali to buy Indian goods, machines, and services for farming and food projects.
At least 85% of the contract's value must come from India; the rest can be from other countries.
Banks cannot pay any commission to agents for this loan, but exporters can pay it from their own money after getting full payment.
Exporters must tell their bank about shipments using special forms (GR/SDF) as RBI says.
The last date to open letters of credit is 48 months after the project ends for projects, or 72 months from the loan start date (October 13, 2015) for supply contracts.
How it plays out — a real example
An agri & priority-sector lending officer in Indore helps an exporter who wants to sell food-processing machines to Mali under this loan. The officer checks that 85% of the machine's value comes from India, and tells the exporter to get full loan details from Exim Bank. After the exporter gets paid fully, the officer allows a small commission payment from the exporter's own foreign currency account.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a credit agreement with Mali on October 14, 2009, effective January 18, 2010, for a USD 15 million Line of Credit. This circular informs AD Category-I banks about the operational details, including sourcing requirements and timelines for letters of credit and disbursement.
What it means for you
Banks can now facilitate export transactions under this LOC, ensuring compliance with the 85% Indian content rule. The circular clarifies that no agency commission is payable under the LOC, but exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full payment realization. AD banks must guide exporters to obtain full LOC details from Exim Bank.
What you must do
Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and its terms, including the 85% Indian sourcing requirement.
Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per prevailing RBI instructions.
Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for detailed LOC information.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Exporters dealing with Mali under this LOC, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective January 18, 2010
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 07:29 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 under this LOC?
At least 85% of the contract price must be supplied from India; the remaining 15% may be procured from outside India, excluding consultancy services.
What are the timelines for opening letters of credit and disbursement?
For project exports, the last date is 48 months from the scheduled completion date of contracts; for supply contracts, it is 72 months from the execution date of the credit agreement (October 13, 2015).
Can agency commission be paid under this LOC?
No agency commission is payable under the LOC, but exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full payment realization.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/315
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.34
February 11, 2010
To
All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 15 million
to the Government of the Republic of Mali
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated October 14, 2009 with the Government of the Republic of Mali making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 15 million (USD Fifteen million) for financing eligible goods, machinery, equipment and services including consultancy services from India for the purpose of financing Agriculture and Food processing projects in Mali. The goods and services including consultancy services 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 per cent 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 18, 2010 and date of execution of Agreement is October 14, 2009. 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 (October 13, 2015) 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/2009-10/315 · issued 11 Feb 2010. 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, Exporters dealing with Mali under this LOC, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 15 mn Line of Credit to Mali” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and its terms, including the 85% Indian sourcing requirement.” (RBI issued this 11 Feb 2010).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/315 -- Exim Bank's USD 15 mn Line of Credit to Mali
Issued: 11 Feb 2010
Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and its terms, including the 85% Indian sourcing requirement.
Action required: Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per prevailing 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: Advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for detailed LOC information.
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 03 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=5501&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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