Exim Bank USD 15 mn LoC to Sierra Leone for water projects
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/102 · issued 30 Sep 2021 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 15 million GoI-supported Line of Credit to Sierra Leone for rehabilitating potable water facilities. Banks must guide exporters on LoC terms, including 75% Indian content, no agency commission, and EDF declarations.
The rule, in the simplest words
At least 75% of the contract value must come from Indian goods and services [items made or provided in India]
No agency commission [fee paid to a middleman] is payable from the loan proceeds
Exporters must declare their shipments in an Export Declaration Form [a document that lists what's being exported] as per RBI instructions
How it plays out — a real example
A trade finance manager in Mumbai is working with an exporter who wants to supply water treatment equipment to Sierra Leone under the Exim Bank Line of Credit. The manager must ensure the exporter knows that at least 75% of the contract value must come from Indian goods and services, and that no agency commission is payable from the loan proceeds. The manager will also guide the exporter on how to declare their shipments in the required Export Declaration Form.
What changed
Exim Bank signed an agreement on December 17, 2020, with Sierra Leone for a USD 15 million LoC, effective August 31, 2021. The LoC funds expansion of ongoing water rehabilitation projects in four communities. RBI circular provides operational instructions to AD Category-I banks for handling related exports.
What it means for you
AD banks must ensure exporters comply with LoC terms: at least 75% contract value from Indian goods/services, no agency commission payable from LoC proceeds, and EDF declarations as per RBI norms. Banks can allow commission remittances from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full export realization. This facilitates Indian exports under government-backed credit lines.
What you must do
Inform exporter constituents about the LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Ensure shipments under this LoC are declared in Export Declaration Form per RBI instructions.
Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India for eligible exports.
Allow agency commission remittances only from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full export value realization, as no commission is payable under the LoC.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks handling export transactions under Exim Bank LoCs, Exporters eligible to supply goods/services under the Sierra Leone LoC, Exim Bank as the LoC administering institution
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective August 31, 2021
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 07:29 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What is the purpose of the USD 15 million LoC to Sierra Leone?
The LoC funds expansion of ongoing projects for rehabilitating existing potable water facilities in four communities in Sierra Leone.
Can exporters pay agency commission under this LoC?
No agency commission is payable from LoC proceeds. Exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission, and AD banks can allow such remittance after full export value realization.
What is the Indian content requirement under this LoC?
At least 75% of the contract price must be for goods, works, and services supplied from India. The remaining 25% may be procured from outside India by the seller.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2021-2022/102
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.14
September 30, 2021
All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam/Sir
Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of
USD 15 million to the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated December 17, 2020 with the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 15 million (USD Fifteen Million only) for the purpose of expansion of the ongoing projects for rehabilitation of existing potable water facilities in four communities in the Republic of Sierra Leone. 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 August 31, 2021. Under the LoC, the terminal utilization period is 60 months from 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 (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/2021-2022/102 · issued 30 Sep 2021. 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 handling export transactions under Exim Bank LoCs, Exporters eligible to supply goods/services under the Sierra Leone LoC, Exim Bank as the LoC administering institution), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank USD 15 mn LoC to Sierra Leone for water projects” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 30 Sep 2021).
Circular: RBI/2021-2022/102 -- Exim Bank USD 15 mn LoC to Sierra Leone for water projects
Issued: 30 Sep 2021
Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
Action required: Ensure shipments under this LoC are declared in Export Declaration Form per RBI instructions.
Action required: Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India for eligible exports.
Action required: Allow agency commission remittances only from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full export value realization, as no commission is payable under the LoC.
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=12169&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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