HomeCirculars › RBI/2021-2022/181

Exim Bank's USD 7.29 mn LoC to Guyana for Solar Systems

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/181 · issued 10 Mar 2022 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 7.29 million Line of Credit to Guyana for solar home lighting systems. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. Banks must guide exporters on documentation and commission rules.
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 of solar panels. The officer explains that under Exim Bank's new USD 7.29 million loan to Guyana, the exporter must ensure at least 75% of the contract value comes from India. The officer then helps the exporter fill out the Export Declaration Form for each shipment and reminds them that no agency commission can be paid from the loan itself.

What changed

Exim Bank signed a LoC agreement with Guyana on September 29, 2021, effective February 14, 2022, for USD 7.29 million to procure and install 30,000 solar home lighting systems in hinterland communities. RBI circular outlines operational instructions for AD Category-I banks, including export declaration, commission payment rules, and sourcing requirements.

What it means for you

Indian exporters can now participate in this government-backed LoC, ensuring at least 75% of goods/services are from India. AD banks must facilitate shipments under this LoC with proper EDF declarations and allow commission payments from EEFC accounts post-realization. No agency commission is payable under the LoC itself.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of solar home lighting systems and related 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 LoC?

It provides USD 7.29 million to Guyana for procuring and installing 30,000 solar home lighting systems in hinterland communities.

What are the sourcing requirements under this LoC?

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

Can exporters pay commission under this LoC?

No agency commission is payable under the LoC itself, but exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full export value realization.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2021-2022/181 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.27 March 10, 2022 All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam/Sir Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 7.29 million to the Government of Cooperative Republic of Guyana Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated September 29, 2021 with the Government of Cooperative Republic of Guyana, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 7.29 million (USD Seven Million and Two Hundred Ninety Thousand Only) for the purpose of procuring and installing 30,000 Solar Home Lighting Systems in the Hinterland Communities in Guyana. 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 February 14, 2022. 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 (Vivek Srivastava) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/181 · issued 10 Mar 2022. 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 solar home lighting systems and related services, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 7.29 mn LoC to Guyana for Solar Systems” is: “Inform exporter clients about this LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.” (RBI issued this 10 Mar 2022).

  1. Circular: RBI/2021-2022/181 -- Exim Bank's USD 7.29 mn LoC to Guyana for Solar Systems
  2. Issued: 10 Mar 2022
  3. Action required: Inform exporter clients about this LoC and direct them to Exim Bank for full details.
  4. Action required: Ensure shipments under this LoC are declared on Export Declaration Forms per RBI instructions.
  5. Action required: Allow commission remittances from EEFC accounts only after full export value realization, subject to extant rules.
  6. Action required: Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India as per LoC terms.
  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=12253&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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