HomeCirculars › RBI/2010-11/405

Exim Bank's USD 1 Billion Line of Credit for Bangladesh

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/405 · issued 14 Feb 2011 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 1 billion Line of Credit to Bangladesh. At least 85% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must guide exporters on GR/SDF forms and commission rules.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore learns about this loan and immediately calls her exporter client, Mr. Sharma, who sells machinery to Bangladesh. She explains that at least 85% of his machinery must come from India, and he must fill out GR forms for each shipment. She also warns him that any commission to a local agent must come from his own pocket, not the loan, and only after the buyer pays in full.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a USD 1 billion Line of Credit agreement with Bangladesh on August 7, 2010, effective February 1, 2011. The circular outlines terms for financing eligible goods, services, and project exports, with a 48-month disbursement window for projects and 72 months for supply contracts.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can leverage this credit to boost exports to Bangladesh, with strict local sourcing norms. AD banks must ensure compliance with FEMA and RBI guidelines on documentation and commission payments. This strengthens India-Bangladesh trade ties and supports Exim Bank's export financing role.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters to Bangladesh, 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 must be supplied from India; the remaining 15% can be procured from outside India.

What are the key timelines for disbursement?

For project exports, the last date for opening LCs and disbursement is 48 months from the scheduled completion date. For supply contracts, it is 72 months from the credit agreement execution date (August 6, 2016).

Can agency commission be paid under this LOC?

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

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/405 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 42 February 14, 2011 To        All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 1 billion to the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated August 7, 2010 with the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 1 billion (USD one  billion) for financing eligible goods and services including project exports and consultancy services in Bangladesh. The goods and services including project exports and 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 February 1, 2011 and the date of execution of Agreement is August 7, 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 (August 6, 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/2010-11/405 · issued 14 Feb 2011. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters to Bangladesh, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 1 Billion Line of Credit for Bangladesh” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC terms and direct them to Exim Bank for details.” (RBI issued this 14 Feb 2011).

  1. Circular: RBI/2010-11/405 -- Exim Bank's USD 1 Billion Line of Credit for Bangladesh
  2. Issued: 14 Feb 2011
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC terms and direct them to Exim Bank for details.
  4. Action required: Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only after full contract payment, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
  6. Action required: Verify that at least 85% of contract value is sourced from India for eligible contracts.
  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=6264&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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