Exim Bank's USD 7.35 mn Line of Credit to Nicaragua
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/34 · issued 06 May 2021 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks of Exim Bank's USD 7.35 million Government of India-supported Line of Credit to Nicaragua for hospital equipment. Exports must meet FEMA and FTP rules; 75% of contract value must be sourced from India.
The rule, in the simplest words
Exporters can use the Exim Bank loan to sell goods or services for the Nicaragua hospital, but at least 75% of the contract value must come from India (local sourcing).
Every shipment under this loan must be reported on the Export Declaration Form as instructed by the RBI.
No agency commission can be paid from the loan; exporters may pay commission only from their own money or from their foreign‑currency account after the full export value is received.
AD Category‑I banks must inform their exporter clients about the loan and tell them to get full details from Exim Bank.
The loan can be used for up to 60 months after the project’s scheduled completion date.
How it plays out — a real example
Rohit Mehta, a senior relationship manager at an AD Category‑I bank in Mumbai, warmly meets Sunil Patel, an Indian medical‑equipment exporter, and explains that for the Nicaragua hospital project they must source at least 75% of the equipment from India, file an Export Declaration Form for each shipment, and cannot claim any commission from the loan – any commission must come from Sunil’s own funds after the export payment is fully realized.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a LoC agreement with Nicaragua on February 18, 2021, effective April 16, 2021, for USD 7.35 million to upgrade a hospital in Managua. RBI circular informs AD banks about the facility, including sourcing norms and commission rules.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now access this LoC for eligible goods and services, with 75% local sourcing mandatory. AD banks must ensure compliance with FEMA and FTP, and no agency commission is payable under the LoC unless from exporter's own resources.
What you must do
Inform exporter clients about the LoC details and direct them to Exim Bank for full terms.
Ensure exports under this LoC are declared on Export Declaration Forms per RBI instructions.
Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India; allow up to 25% foreign procurement.
Do not permit agency commission under the LoC; allow remittance only from exporter's own resources after full export value realization.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of eligible goods and services, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective April 16, 2021
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 08:09 IST
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 funds replacement and equipment of the High Technology Centre of Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca in Managua, Nicaragua, with USD 7.35 million from Exim Bank.
Can exporters pay commission under this LoC?
No agency commission is payable. If needed, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances for commission in free foreign exchange after full export value realization.
What are the sourcing requirements?
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/2021-2022/34
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.03
May 06, 2021
All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam/Sir
Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of
USD 7.35 million to the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated February 18, 2021 with the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 7.35 million (USD Seven million and three hundred fifty thousand only) for the purpose of replacement and equipment of the High Technology Centre of Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca at Managua 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 April 16, 2021. 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/2021-2022/34 · issued 06 May 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, Indian exporters of eligible goods and services, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “Exim Bank's USD 7.35 mn Line of Credit to Nicaragua” is: “Inform exporter clients about the LoC details and direct them to Exim Bank for full terms.” (RBI issued this 06 May 2021).
Circular: RBI/2021-2022/34 -- Exim Bank's USD 7.35 mn Line of Credit to Nicaragua
Issued: 06 May 2021
Action required: Inform exporter clients about the LoC details and direct them to Exim Bank for full terms.
Action required: Ensure exports under this LoC are declared on Export Declaration Forms per RBI instructions.
Action required: Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India; allow up to 25% foreign procurement.
Action required: Do not permit agency commission under the LoC; allow remittance only from exporter's own resources after full export value realization.
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=12088&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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