HomeCirculars › RBI/2013-2014/439

Exim Bank's USD 42.61 mn Line of Credit to Benin for Water Supply

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-2014/439 · issued 09 Jan 2014 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 42.61 million Line of Credit to Benin for upgrading water supply in 69 villages. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Disbursement timelines and commission rules are specified.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore learns from RBI's circular that Exim Bank has a USD 42.61 million loan for Benin's water projects. She calls her exporter client, Mr. Sharma, who sells water pipes, and explains: 'You can supply pipes for those 69 villages, but at least 75% of your contract value must be made in India. When you ship, fill out the GR form. And no agent commission from the loan—if you need to pay an agent, use your own foreign currency account after you get paid fully.'

What changed

Exim Bank signed a credit agreement with Benin on September 6, 2013, effective December 16, 2013, for a USD 42.61 million Line of Credit. The funds will finance water supply upgrades in 69 villages, requiring a Project Management Consultant for a Detailed Project Report. At least 75% of goods and services must be from India, with the balance from outside India.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now tap this LOC for water supply projects in Benin, ensuring a minimum 75% Indian content. AD banks must facilitate shipments under GR/SDF forms and handle commission payments only after full contract value realization. The LOC supports India's export push in Africa.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of goods, services, and consultancy, 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 purpose of this Line of Credit?

It finances upgrading water supply schemes in 69 villages in Benin, including consultancy services.

What is the Indian content requirement?

At least 75% of the contract price must be supplied from India; the remaining 25% can be procured from outside India.

When is the last date for disbursement?

For project exports, 48 months from scheduled completion; for supply contracts, 72 months from the credit agreement execution date (September 5, 2019).

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-2014/439 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 89 January 9, 2014 All Category - I Authorised Dealer banks Madam/Sir, Exim Bank's Line of Credit of USD 42.61 million to the Government of the Republic of Benin Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an Agreement dated September 06, 2013 with the Government of the Republic of Benin, for making available to the latter, a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 42.61 million (USD Forty two million and Six Hundred and Ten Thousand) for financing eligible goods, services, machinery and equipment including consultancy services from India for the purpose of financing up gradation of water supply schemes in 69 villages in Benin subject to Government of Benin appointing a Project Management Consultant (PMC) for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) in Benin. 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 December 16, 2013 and the date of execution of Agreement is September 06, 2013. 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 (September 05, 2019) 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/2013-2014/439 · issued 09 Jan 2014. 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, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 42.61 mn Line of Credit to Benin for Water Supply” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LOC and its terms, including the 75% Indian content requirement.” (RBI issued this 09 Jan 2014).

  1. Circular: RBI/2013-2014/439 -- Exim Bank's USD 42.61 mn Line of Credit to Benin for Water Supply
  2. Issued: 09 Jan 2014
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LOC and its terms, including the 75% Indian content requirement.
  4. Action required: Ensure shipments under this LOC are declared on GR/SDF forms as per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only after full contract value realization, using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
  6. Action required: Direct exporters to Exim Bank for full LOC details.
  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=8684&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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