HomeCirculars › RBI/2011-12/518

Exim Bank's $15 mn Line of Credit to Togo for Rural Electrification

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/518 · issued 20 Apr 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 15 million Line of Credit to the Government of Togo for financing a Rural Electrification Project. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Last date for LC opening/disbursement is 48 months for project exports, 72 months for supply contracts.
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 sell solar panels to Togo's rural electrification project. The officer checks that 75% of the contract value comes from Indian factories, opens a letter of credit within the allowed time, and reminds the exporter not to pay any agent commission from the loan money.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of the Republic of Togo on November 23, 2011, effective from March 30, 2012. The LOC of USD 15 million is earmarked for financing eligible Indian exports for Togo's Rural Electrification Project. Key conditions include a 75% Indian content requirement and specific timelines for LC opening and disbursement.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now access this Exim Bank LOC to secure payments for exports to Togo's rural electrification project. Banks must ensure that at least 75% of the contract value is sourced from India and that no agency commission is paid from the LOC proceeds. AD Category-I banks need to guide exporters on documentation and remittance rules.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of goods, services, and consultancy for Togo's rural electrification, 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 75% of the contract price must be supplied from India. The remaining 25% (excluding consultancy services) can be procured from outside India.

What are the last dates for opening Letters of Credit under this LOC?

For project exports, LCs must be opened within 48 months from the scheduled completion date of the contract. For supply contracts, the deadline is 72 months from the execution date of the Credit Agreement, i.e., November 22, 2017.

Can agency commission be paid from the LOC proceeds?

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

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/518 A. P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 110 April 20, 2012 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 Togo Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated November 23, 2011 with the Government of the Republic of Togo, making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 15 million (USD fifteen million) for financing export of eligible goods, services, machinery and equipment including consultancy services for the purpose of financing Rural Electrification Project in Togo. The goods, services, machinery and equipment 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 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 March 30, 2012 and the date of execution of Agreement is November 23, 2011. 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 (November 22, 2017) 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,   (Rashmi Fauzdar) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/518 · issued 20 Apr 2012. 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, Indian exporters of goods, services, and consultancy for Togo's rural electrification, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $15 mn Line of Credit to Togo for Rural Electrification” is: “Inform exporter customers about the LOC and its terms, including the 75% Indian content requirement.” (RBI issued this 20 Apr 2012).

  1. Circular: RBI/2011-12/518 -- Exim Bank's $15 mn Line of Credit to Togo for Rural Electrification
  2. Issued: 20 Apr 2012
  3. Action required: Inform exporter customers about the LOC and its terms, including the 75% Indian content requirement.
  4. Action required: Advise exporters to contact Exim Bank for full details and contract eligibility.
  5. Action required: Ensure GR/SDF forms are used for shipments under this LOC as per RBI instructions.
  6. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only after full contract payment realization and from exporter's own resources or EEFC account.
  7. Action required: Monitor that no agency commission is paid from the LOC proceeds.
  8. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  9. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  10. 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=7152&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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