Exim Bank's USD 72.55 mn Line of Credit to Lao PDR
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/297 · issued 03 Dec 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks of Exim Bank's USD 72.55 million Line of Credit to Lao PDR for two power projects. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must inform exporters and handle GR/SDF declarations and commission remittances per existing rules.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a loan of USD 72.55 million to the government of Lao PDR for two power projects: a transmission line and a hydropower plant.
At least 75% of the goods and services for each project must come from India.
Indian exporters must declare their shipments on GR/SDF forms (special export forms) as the RBI requires.
No commission (extra payment to agents) can be paid from the loan money; exporters can pay commission from their own money only after they get full payment for the contract.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a call from an exporter asking about the new loan for Lao PDR. The officer explains that the exporter can supply equipment for the Nam Boun 2 hydropower project, but must ensure 75% of the contract value comes from India. The officer also reminds the exporter to fill out GR/SDF forms for every shipment and warns that no agency commission can be taken from the loan funds—only from the exporter's own account after full payment is received.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of Lao PDR on September 13, 2010, effective November 2, 2010, for USD 72.55 million. The credit will finance a 230 KV transmission line (USD 34.68 million) and the Nam Boun 2 hydropower project (USD 37.86 million). At least 75% of goods and services must be sourced from India.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now access this LOC to supply eligible goods and services for these two Lao projects, with financing backed by Exim Bank. AD Category-I banks must ensure shipments are declared on GR/SDF forms and that no agency commission is paid from the LOC proceeds. Banks can allow commission remittances from exporters' own resources after full contract value realization.
What you must do
Inform exporter constituents about the 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.
Do not allow any agency commission payment from LOC proceeds; permit remittances only from exporter's own resources after full contract value realization.
Verify that at least 75% 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 Lao PDR, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective November 2, 2010
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 03:35 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What is the total value of the Line of Credit to Lao PDR?
The LOC is for USD 72.55 million, covering two projects: a transmission line (USD 34.68 million) and a hydropower project (USD 37.86 million).
What is the Indian content requirement under this LOC?
At least 75% of the contract price must consist of goods and services (including consultancy) supplied from India. The remaining 25% may be procured from outside India.
Can exporters pay agency commission under this LOC?
No agency commission is payable from the LOC proceeds. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full contract value is realized, subject to prevailing RBI instructions.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/297
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 22
December 03, 2010
To
All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 72.55 million
to the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated September 13, 2010 with the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 72.55 million (USD seventy two million five hundred fifty thousand) for financing eligible goods and services including consultancy services from India for the purpose of financing (i) 230 KV double circuit transmission line from Nabon to Thabok and substations (USD 34.68 million) and (ii) Nam Boun 2 hydropower projects (15 MW) (USD 37.86 million) in Lao PDR. 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 including consultancy services of the value of at least 75 per cent of the contract price shall be supplied by the seller from India, and the remaining 25 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 November 2, 2010 and the date of execution of Agreement is September 13, 2010. 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 the case of project exports and 72 months (September 12, 2016) from the execution date of the Credit Agreement in the case of supply contracts.
3. Shipments under the LOC will have to be declared on GR/SDF Forms as per instructions issued by the 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 in 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 the 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,
(G. Jaganmohan Rao)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/297 · issued 03 Dec 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 Lao PDR, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 72.55 mn Line of Credit to Lao PDR” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 03 Dec 2010).
Circular: RBI/2010-11/297 -- Exim Bank's USD 72.55 mn Line of Credit to Lao PDR
Issued: 03 Dec 2010
Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the 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: Do not allow any agency commission payment from LOC proceeds; permit remittances only from exporter's own resources after full contract value realization.
Action required: Verify that at least 75% 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=6127&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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