HomeCirculars › RBI/2010-11/357

Exim Bank's $30 mn Line of Credit to Cote d'Ivoire for Rice Programme

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/357 · issued 05 Jan 2011 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks of Exim Bank's USD 30 million Line of Credit to Cote d'Ivoire for financing Indian exports under a Rice Production Programme. Key terms: 85% Indian content, 48-72 month disbursement window, no agency commission from LOC proceeds.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore gets a call from an exporter who wants to sell rice-milling machines to Cote d'Ivoire under this loan. The officer explains that 85% of the machine parts must be made in India, and reminds the exporter to fill out the GR form for each shipment. Later, when the exporter asks to pay a commission to a local agent, the officer says no from the loan funds, but allows it from the exporter's own EEFC account after the full payment arrives.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of Cote d'Ivoire on March 31, 2010, effective November 26, 2010, for USD 30 million. The credit supports exports of eligible goods, machinery, equipment, and consultancy services from India for a Rice Production Programme. At least 85% of contract value must be sourced from India, with up to 15% procured abroad.

What it means for you

Banks can now facilitate export transactions under this LOC, ensuring compliance with FEMA and RBI guidelines. The 85% Indian content requirement boosts domestic sourcing, while the 48-72 month timeline gives flexibility for project and supply contracts. No agency commission is payable from LOC funds, but exporters can use their own EEFC accounts for commissions post-realization.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Exporters dealing with Cote d'Ivoire, Exim 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 for goods and services (including consultancy) must be supplied from India.

Can agency commission be paid from the LOC proceeds?

No, agency commission is not payable under the LOC. Exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full payment realization.

What are the key timelines for this LOC?

The credit agreement is effective from November 26, 2010. For project exports, LCs must be opened and disbursed within 48 months from scheduled contract completion. For supply contracts, the deadline is 72 months (March 30, 2016) from the agreement execution date.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/357 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 36 January 05, 2011 To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 30 million to the Government of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated March 31, 2010 with the Government of the Republic of Cote D'Ivoire making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 30 million (USD thirty million) for financing eligible goods and services including machinery, equipment and consultancy services from India for the purpose of financing Rice Production Programme in Cote d'Ivoire. 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 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 November 26, 2010 and the date of execution of Agreement is March 31, 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 (March 30, 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/2010-11/357 · issued 05 Jan 2011. 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, Exporters dealing with Cote d'Ivoire, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $30 mn Line of Credit to Cote d'Ivoire for Rice Programme” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 05 Jan 2011).

  1. Circular: RBI/2010-11/357 -- Exim Bank's $30 mn Line of Credit to Cote d'Ivoire for Rice Programme
  2. Issued: 05 Jan 2011
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
  4. Action required: Ensure all shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Verify that at least 85% of contract value is sourced from India before processing remittances.
  6. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only from exporter's own resources or EEFC accounts after full contract payment realization.
  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=6200&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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