Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/341 · issued 05 Mar 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notified AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 15 million Line of Credit to Benin for railway/agricultural equipment and a cyber city feasibility study. At least 85% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must facilitate GR/SDF declarations and allow commission remittance post-realization.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a $15 million loan to Benin for buying Indian railway and farm equipment and for studying how to build a cyber city.
At least 85% of the contract's value must come from India (meaning the goods or services are made or provided in India).
Banks must make sure exporters fill out GR/SDF forms (special export paperwork) for shipments under this loan.
No commission (extra payment to a middleman) is allowed from the loan money; if needed, the exporter can pay it from their own money after getting full payment.
How it plays out — a real example
An agri & priority-sector lending officer in Indore receives a call from an exporter wanting to ship railway equipment to Benin under Exim Bank's $15 million loan. The officer checks that at least 85% of the equipment is made in India, helps the exporter fill out the GR form, and reminds them that any agent commission must be paid from their own funds only after the full contract payment is received.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with Benin on October 19, 2009, effective February 16, 2010, for USD 15 million. The credit covers eligible Indian goods, machinery, equipment, and services, with a minimum 85% Indian content. Last date for LC opening/disbursement is 48 months from project completion or 72 months (October 18, 2015) for supply contracts.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now tap this LOC to supply railway and agricultural equipment, and consultancy for a cyber city in Benin. Banks must ensure at least 85% of contract value is sourced from India and handle GR/SDF declarations. No agency commission is payable under the LOC, but exporters can use own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full payment realization.
What you must do
Inform exporter constituents about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Ensure shipments under this LOC 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 contract value is sourced from India for each eligible contract.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of goods and services to Benin, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective February 16, 2010
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 07:19 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% (excluding consultancy) can be procured from outside India.
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 in free foreign exchange after full payment realization.
What are the key timelines for this LOC?
The credit agreement is effective from February 16, 2010. For project exports, LCs must be opened within 48 months of scheduled completion; for supply contracts, the last date is October 18, 2015 (72 months from execution date).
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/341
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 41
March 05, 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 Benin
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated October 19, 2009 with the Government of the Republic of Benin 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 (a) purchase of railway equipment, (b) purchase of agricultural equipment and (c) conducting feasibility study for setting up a cyber city in Benin. 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 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 February 16, 2010 and date of execution of Agreement is October 19, 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 18, 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/2009-10/341 · issued 05 Mar 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, Indian exporters of goods and services to Benin, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $15 mn Line of Credit to Benin” is: “Inform exporter constituents about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 05 Mar 2010).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/341 -- Exim Bank's $15 mn Line of Credit to Benin
Issued: 05 Mar 2010
Action required: Inform exporter constituents about this LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Ensure shipments under this LOC 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 contract value is sourced from India for each eligible contract.
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=5526&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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