HomeCirculars › RBI/2020-2021/64

Exim Bank USD 20.10 mn LoC to Nicaragua for Hospital Reconstruction

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2020-2021/64 · issued 05 Nov 2020 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 20.10 million Government of India-supported Line of Credit to Nicaragua for Aldo Chavarria Hospital reconstruction. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India; no agency commission is payable under this LoC.
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 medical equipment for the Aldo Chavarria Hospital project in Nicaragua. The officer explains that at least 75% of the equipment must come from India, and no agency commission can be paid from the loan funds. The exporter is relieved to know they can use their own foreign currency account to pay a commission, but only after the full export payment is received.

What changed

Exim Bank signed an agreement on June 12, 2020 with Nicaragua for a USD 20.10 million LoC, effective September 15, 2020. The LoC funds reconstruction of Aldo Chavarria Hospital, with a 60-month terminal utilization period post-project completion. RBI circular instructs AD banks to facilitate exports under this LoC, mandating that at least 75% of contract price be supplied from India.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now finance eligible goods and services for this Nicaragua hospital project through Exim Bank's LoC, with a 75% local sourcing requirement boosting domestic supply chains. AD banks must ensure no agency commission is paid from LoC proceeds, though exporters may use own resources or EEFC balances for commissions after full export value realization. This reinforces India's export credit framework under FEMA.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of eligible goods and services, 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 USD 20.10 million LoC to Nicaragua?

The LoC is for reconstruction of Aldo Chavarria Hospital in Nicaragua, financing eligible Indian exports under the Foreign Trade Policy.

Can exporters pay agency commission on exports under this LoC?

No agency commission is payable from LoC proceeds. Exporters may use own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full export value realization, subject to extant RBI instructions.

What is the sourcing requirement for contracts under this LoC?

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

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2020-2021/64 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 04 November 05, 2020 All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam/Sir Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 20.10 million to the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated June 12, 2020 with the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 20.10 million (USD Twenty million One Hundred thousand only) for the purpose of reconstruction of Aldo Chavarria Hospital in the Republic of Nicaragua. Under the arrangement, financing of export of eligible goods and services from India, as defined under the agreement, would be allowed subject to their being 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 the agreement, goods, works and 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 per cent of goods and services may be procured by the seller for the purpose of the eligible contract from outside India. 2. The Agreement under the LoC is effective from September 15, 2020. Under the LoC, the terminal utilization period is 60 months after the scheduled completion date of the project. 3. Shipments under the LoC shall be declared in Export Declaration Form as per instructions issued by the Reserve Bank from time to time. 4. No agency commission is payable for export 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- I (AD Category- I) banks may allow such remittance after realization of full eligible value of export subject to compliance with the extant 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 complete details of the LoC from the Exim Bank’s office at Centre One, Floor 21, World Trade Centre Complex, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005 or from their website www.eximbankindia.in . 6. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under section 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 (R. S. Amar) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2020-2021/64 · issued 05 Nov 2020. 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 eligible goods and services, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank USD 20.10 mn LoC to Nicaragua for Hospital Reconstruction” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the Nicaragua LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 05 Nov 2020).

  1. Circular: RBI/2020-2021/64 -- Exim Bank USD 20.10 mn LoC to Nicaragua for Hospital Reconstruction
  2. Issued: 05 Nov 2020
  3. Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the Nicaragua LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
  4. Action required: Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India for shipments under this LoC.
  5. Action required: Ensure no agency commission is paid from LoC proceeds; allow remittance from exporter's own resources or EEFC only after full export value realization.
  6. Action required: Declare shipments under this LoC in Export Declaration Form as per RBI instructions.
  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=11992&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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