HomeCirculars › RBI/2009-10/97

Exim Bank's USD 20 mn LOC to Myanmar for Petrochemical Project

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/97 · issued 02 Jul 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 20 million line of credit to Myanma Foreign Trade Bank for upgrading the Thanbayakan Petrochemical Complex. At least 85% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must facilitate shipments and commission payments per FEMA rules.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore helps an exporter who wants to supply machinery to the Thanbayakan Petrochemical Complex in Myanmar. The officer checks that 85% of the machinery value comes from India, records the shipment on a GR form, and tells the exporter that any agent commission can only be paid after the full payment for the contract is received, using the exporter's own funds or EEFC account.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a credit agreement on February 17, 2009, effective June 15, 2009, providing a USD 20 million LOC to Myanma Foreign Trade Bank. The LOC finances Indian goods, services, and consultancy for the Thanbayakan Petrochemical Complex upgrade. Last date for LC opening and disbursement is 48 months from project completion for project exports, or 72 months (February 16, 2015) from agreement date for supply contracts.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now access this LOC to supply eligible goods and services for the Myanmar petrochemical project, with a mandatory 85% Indian content. AD Category-I banks must ensure shipments are declared on GR/SDF forms and can allow agency commission remittances only after full contract payment is realized, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks handling export transactions, Indian exporters of goods, services, and consultancy to Myanmar, Exim Bank and its counterparty Myanma Foreign Trade Bank

❓ 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 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 agency commission be paid under this LOC?

No agency commission is payable under the LOC itself. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full contract payment is realized.

What are the key timelines for this LOC?

The credit agreement is effective from June 15, 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 date (February 16, 2015).

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/97 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.1 (Last Circular of 2008-09 is 71) July 2, 2009. To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 20 million to Myanma Foreign Trade Bank, Myanmar Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated February 17, 2009  with Myanma Foreign Trade Bank, Myanmar making available to the latter, a line of Credit (LOC) of USD 20 million (USD twenty million) for financing eligible goods and services including consultancy services from India for up-gradation of Thanbayakan Petrochemical Complex in Myanmar.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 June 15, 2009 and date of execution of Agreement is February 17, 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 (February 16, 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 sections10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA),1999(42of1999) 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/2009-10/97 · issued 02 Jul 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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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, Indian exporters of goods, services, and consultancy to Myanmar, Exim Bank and its counterparty Myanma Foreign Trade Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 20 mn LOC to Myanmar for Petrochemical Project” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC details and direct them to Exim Bank for full terms.” (RBI issued this 02 Jul 2009).

  1. Circular: RBI/2009-10/97 -- Exim Bank's USD 20 mn LOC to Myanmar for Petrochemical Project
  2. Issued: 02 Jul 2009
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC details and direct them to Exim Bank for full terms.
  4. Action required: Ensure all shipments under this LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own funds or EEFC accounts.
  6. Action required: Verify that at least 85% of contract value is sourced from India for exports under this LOC.
  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=5158&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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