HomeCirculars › RBI/2013-14/145

Exim Bank's $35 mn Line of Credit to Ghana for Sugar Plant

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/145 · issued 17 Jul 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 35 million Line of Credit to Ghana's government for a sugar plant project. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must ensure GR/SDF form declarations and no agency commission from LOC proceeds.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a call from an exporter who wants to supply sugar-processing machines to Ghana under this loan. The officer explains that the exporter must source at least 75% of the machine parts from India and fill out the correct export forms. The officer also reminds the exporter that any agent commission must come from the exporter's own bank account, not from the loan money.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a Line of Credit agreement with Ghana on December 14, 2012, effective June 27, 2013, for USD 35 million. The credit finances eligible Indian goods, services, and machinery for a sugar plant project. Last date for LC opening/disbursement is 48 months from project completion or 72 months (Dec 13, 2018) for supply contracts.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now access this LOC to supply to Ghana's sugar plant, with 75% local sourcing mandatory. AD banks must facilitate remittances only after full contract payment realization and ensure no agency commission is paid from LOC funds. This opens a structured export financing channel for Indian firms.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of goods, services, and machinery, Exim Bank, Government of Ghana

❓ 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% can be procured from outside India.

Can agency commission be paid from the LOC proceeds?

No, agency commission is not payable under this LOC. Exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full payment realization.

What are the key timelines for this LOC?

The credit agreement is effective from June 27, 2013. For project exports, LCs must be opened and disbursed within 48 months from contract completion; for supply contracts, within 72 months (by December 13, 2018).

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/145 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.13 July 17, 2013 To All Category - I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam / Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 35 million to the Government of the Republic of Ghana Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an Agreement dated December 14, 2012 with the Government of the Republic of Ghana, for making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 35 million (USD Thirty- Five million) for financing eligible goods, services, machinery and equipment including consultancy services from India for the purpose of financing a sugar plant project in the Republic of Ghana. 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 June 27, 2013 and the date of execution of Agreement is December 14, 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 13, 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/2013-14/145 · issued 17 Jul 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 (AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of goods, services, and machinery, Exim Bank, Government of Ghana), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's $35 mn Line of Credit to Ghana for Sugar Plant” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC and its 75% Indian sourcing requirement.” (RBI issued this 17 Jul 2013).

  1. Circular: RBI/2013-14/145 -- Exim Bank's $35 mn Line of Credit to Ghana for Sugar Plant
  2. Issued: 17 Jul 2013
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC and its 75% Indian sourcing requirement.
  4. Action required: Verify GR/SDF form declarations for shipments under this LOC as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full payment realization.
  6. Action required: Direct exporters to Exim Bank for detailed LOC terms and conditions.
  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=8249&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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