Exim Bank's USD 10 mn Line of Credit to Seychelles
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/124 · issued 08 Jul 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 10 million Line of Credit to the Government of Seychelles for financing eligible Indian exports, with at least 75% of contract value sourced from India (with possible 10% relaxation for civil construction projects) and specific timelines for project and supply contracts.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exim Bank gave a loan of 10 million US dollars to the government of Seychelles so Indian companies can sell things to Seychelles.
At least 75% of the value of any contract paid with this loan must come from India (things made or services done in India). For building projects, this can be lowered a little, up to 10% less.
Indian exporters must get paid within 48 months for big project exports or within 72 months for supply contracts (like selling goods).
No commission (extra payment to a middleman) is allowed under this loan. If an exporter wants to pay commission, they must use their own money or foreign currency savings, and only after the full contract payment is received.
Banks must tell their exporter customers about this loan and ask them to contact Exim Bank for full details.
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore learns from RBI's circular that Exim Bank has a $10 million loan for Seychelles. She informs her exporter client, Mr. Sharma, who sells construction equipment, that he can use this loan to get paid for a project in Seychelles, as long as 75% of his equipment comes from India. She reminds him that no agency commission is allowed, so he must pay any middleman only after he receives the full payment from the Seychelles government.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with the Government of Seychelles on December 18, 2012, effective from June 10, 2013, for USD 10 million. The credit supports Indian exports of goods, services, machinery, and consultancy for projects funded by Development Bank of Seychelles, with at least 75% of contract value sourced from India.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now access this LOC to finance eligible exports to Seychelles, with AD banks facilitating Letters of Credit and disbursements within 48 months for project exports or 72 months for supply contracts. No agency commission is payable under the LOC, but exporters may use own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full payment realization.
What you must do
Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract payment realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India, with possible 10% relaxation for civil construction projects.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters to Seychelles, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective from June 10, 2013
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 13:55 IST
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, with a possible 10% relaxation for civil construction projects on a case-by-case basis.
What are the timelines for using this LOC?
For project exports, the last date for opening LCs and disbursement is 48 months from the scheduled completion date of contracts. For supply contracts, it is 72 months from the execution date of the Credit Agreement (i.e., December 17, 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 payment realization.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/124
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 4
July 8, 2013
To
All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir,
Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 10 million
to the Government of Seychelles
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has concluded an Agreement dated December 18, 2012 with the Government of Seychelles, for making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 10 million (USD Ten million) for financing eligible goods, services, machinery and equipment including consultancy services from India for the purpose of import of goods and services for specific projects funded by Development Bank of Seychelles in Seychelles. 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. Provided, however that, a suitable relaxation not exceeding 10 % may be considered on case to case basis for projects having civil construction.
2. The Credit Agreement under the LOC is effective from June 10, 2013 and the date of execution of Agreement is December 18, 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 17, 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,
(C. D. Srinivasan)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/124 · issued 08 Jul 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 to Seychelles, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 10 mn Line of Credit to Seychelles” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 08 Jul 2013).
Circular: RBI/2013-14/124 -- Exim Bank's USD 10 mn Line of Credit to Seychelles
Issued: 08 Jul 2013
Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the LOC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Allow remittance of agency commission only after full contract payment realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Action required: Ensure shipments under the LOC are declared on GR/SDF Forms as per RBI instructions.
Action required: Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India, with possible 10% relaxation for civil construction projects.
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.
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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=8217&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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