HomeCirculars › RBI/2012-2013/378

RBI USD-INR Swap for Export Credit Growth

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-2013/378 · issued 14 Jan 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI introduced a USD-INR swap facility from Jan 21 to Jun 28, 2013, allowing scheduled banks (excluding RRBs) to swap dollars for rupees to support incremental pre-shipment export credit in foreign currency (PCFC). Banks can access rupee refinance up to the swap amount.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

Rahul, a forex & trade-finance officer in Indore, helps a local exporter, Mr. Kumar, by swapping dollars for rupees under the RBI USD-INR swap facility. With the swap, Rahul can provide Mr. Kumar with the necessary rupees to purchase gold for export, supporting the growth of India's export credit. As Rahul tracks the incremental PCFC, he ensures that the swap limits are managed carefully to meet RBI's requirements.

What changed

RBI launched a new USD-INR swap facility for scheduled banks (excluding RRBs) to boost incremental PCFC disbursements. The facility is available from January 21 to June 28, 2013, for 3 or 6 month tenors. Banks can swap dollars up to their eligible limit, which is based on incremental PCFC since November 30, 2012.

What it means for you

This swap gives banks a cheaper source of rupee liquidity tied to export credit growth, encouraging them to expand foreign currency lending to exporters. Banks must carefully track incremental PCFC and manage swap limits, as RBI may adjust limits based on utilization. The facility is operationally managed by RBI's Financial Markets Department in Mumbai.

What you must do

Who it affects

All scheduled banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Export credit departments of banks, Treasury and forex desks of banks

❓ Common questions

What is the base date for calculating incremental PCFC?

The base date is November 30, 2012. Incremental PCFC disbursed after this date counts toward your eligible swap limit.

Can we choose any tenor for the swap?

Yes, the facility offers fixed tenors of 3 months or 6 months. You must specify your choice when applying.

What happens if we don't use the full swap limit?

RBI will periodically review actual utilization and may adjust individual bank limits based on usage and other factors.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-2013/378 FMD.MOAG. No. 1082/01.06.016/2012-13 January 14, 2013 To All Scheduled Banks [excluding Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)] Dear Sir/ Madam, Swap Facility for Expansion of Export Credit in Foreign Currency Please refer to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular MPD No. 359/07.01.279/2012-13 dated January 14, 2013 on special export credit refinance facility. 2. As stated in para (1) of the circular, ibid, a US Dollar-Rupee swap facility has been introduced to support incremental Pre-shipment Export Credit in Foreign Currency (PCFC). Scheduled banks (excluding RRBs) have the option to access rupee refinance to the extent of the swap with RBI under a special export credit refinance facility. The salient features of the new swap facility are as under: (a) The swap facility will be available to scheduled banks (excluding RRBs) from January 21, 2013 till June 28, 2013 for fixed tenor of 3/6 months. During any particular month, the maximum amount of dollars that banks would be eligible to avail of from RBI through swaps would be equal to the incremental PCFC disbursed with reference to a base date (November 30, 2012), subject to a limit. The limits would be communicated to eligible individual banks separately.  The limits would be reviewed periodically based on actual utilization and other relevant factors. (b) Under the swap arrangement, a bank can buy US Dollars, up to its eligible swap limit, from RBI and simultaneously sell the same amount of US Dollar forward as per the term of the swap at the prevailing market rates for swaps of similar tenor. At the end of the swap term, the bank will exchange with RBI the US Dollars against Rupee. Reserve Bank’s decision regarding the pricing of the swap shall be final and no request for any modification/revision to the same would be entertained. (c) Banks desirous of availing the swap facility will have to furnish a declaration duly signed by their authorised signatories that they have actually disbursed the eligible incremental PCFC during the preceding month (s). (d) The swap facility will be operationalised by the Financial Markets Department of the Bank at Mumbai. Depending upon the prevailing market conditions, RBI would exercise the right to decide on the day of operation, number of banks that can avail of the facility on any particular day, the maximum amount of swap that RBI would undertake with the banks on any particular day and the maximum quantum of swap that each bank can do on any particular day keeping in view the market conditions and other relevant factors. (e) Banks desirous of availing refinance under special export credit refinance facility may approach the Regional Office of the RBI at Fort, Mumbai with the required promissory note and a declaration indicating that they have availed the swap facility and the amount of refinance sought does not exceed the amount of swap outstanding under the swap facility. (f) The new scheme comes into effect on January 21, 2013 . Eligible banks can approach the Financial Markets Department by e-mail with their request for US Dollar swap facility indicating the amount of US Dollars, tenor (3 month or 6 month) along with the declaration as mentioned at (c) above. Yours sincerely (G. Mahalingam) Chief General Manager Related Press Release/Notification
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-2013/378 · issued 14 Jan 2013. 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 (All scheduled banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Export credit departments of banks, Treasury and forex desks of banks), your first concrete step on “RBI USD-INR Swap for Export Credit Growth” is: “Calculate your bank's incremental PCFC disbursed since November 30, 2012, to determine eligible swap limit.” (RBI issued this 14 Jan 2013).

  1. Circular: RBI/2012-2013/378 -- RBI USD-INR Swap for Export Credit Growth
  2. Issued: 14 Jan 2013
  3. Action required: Calculate your bank's incremental PCFC disbursed since November 30, 2012, to determine eligible swap limit.
  4. Action required: Submit a signed declaration to RBI confirming actual incremental PCFC disbursement when requesting the swap.
  5. Action required: Contact RBI's Financial Markets Department via email with swap request, amount, tenor (3 or 6 months), and declaration.
  6. Action required: For refinance, approach RBI's Regional Office in Mumbai with promissory note and declaration of swap availed.
  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=7805&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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