Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/474 · issued 09 Apr 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 76.50 million Line of Credit to Malawi for irrigation, sugar processing, and fuel storage projects. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must advise exporters and follow FEMA guidelines.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a loan of USD 76.5 million to Malawi for building irrigation, sugar processing, and fuel storage projects.
At least 75% of the contract value must come from India (like buying Indian machines or services).
Banks must tell exporters about this loan and send them to Exim Bank for full details.
No commission (extra fee) is allowed under this loan, but exporters can pay commission from their own money or foreign currency account after getting full payment.
Shipments under this loan must be reported on GR/SDF forms (special export forms) as per RBI rules.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a call from a local exporter who wants to sell sugar processing machines to Malawi. The officer explains that under Exim Bank's new line of credit, the exporter must source at least 75% of the machine's value from India, and no agency commission is allowed. The officer then advises the exporter to contact Exim Bank directly for the full loan details and reminds them to declare the shipment on the required GR/SDF forms.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of Malawi on December 13, 2012, effective March 13, 2013, for USD 76.50 million. The credit will finance Indian exports for irrigation network development, sugar processing equipment, and fuel storage facilities in Malawi. At least 75% of the contract price must be supplied from India, with the remaining 25% allowed from outside India.
What it means for you
Indian exporters now have a funded avenue to supply goods and services to Malawi under this LOC, with assured payment from Exim Bank. AD Category-I banks must facilitate the opening of Letters of Credit and disbursements within 48 months for project exports or 72 months for supply contracts. No agency commission is payable under this LOC, but exporters can use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission if needed.
What you must do
Advise exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization and compliance with existing guidelines.
Monitor 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, services, machinery, and consultancy, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective March 13, 2013
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 15:47 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 Malawi?
The LOC is for USD 76.50 million, as per the agreement dated December 13, 2012.
What are the last dates for opening Letters of Credit and disbursement?
For project exports, 48 months from the scheduled completion date of the contract; for supply contracts, 72 months from the execution date of the Credit Agreement (i.e., December 12, 2018).
Can exporters pay agency commission 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 value realization.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/474
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.97
April 9, 2013
To
All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 76.50 million
to the Government of the Republic of Malawi
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated December 13, 2012 with the Government of the Republic of Malawi, for making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 76.50 million (USD Seventy six million five hundred thousand) for financing eligible goods, services, machinery and equipment including consultancy services from India for the purpose of a) development of irrigation network under greenbelt initiative; b) setting up of refined sugar processing equipment in Salima under greenbelt initiative; and (c) development of fuel storage facilities in Malawi. 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 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 13, 2013 and the date of execution of Agreement is December 13, 2012. 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 (December 12, 2018) 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/2012-13/474 · issued 09 Apr 2013. 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, services, machinery, and consultancy, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 76.5 mn Line of Credit to Malawi” is: “Advise exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 09 Apr 2013).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/474 -- Exim Bank's USD 76.5 mn Line of Credit to Malawi
Issued: 09 Apr 2013
Action required: Advise exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
Action required: Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract value realization and compliance with existing guidelines.
Action required: Monitor 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.
💬 Banker Discussion
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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=7936&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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