HomeCirculars › RBI/2021-2022/85

USD 100 mn LoC to Mauritius for Defence Imports from India

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/85 · issued 12 Aug 2021 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks about Exim Bank's USD 100 million Line of Credit to Mauritius for defence procurement from India. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. No agency commission is payable, but exporters may use own resources or EEFC balances for commission after full export value realization.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore, Priya, gets a call from a defence exporter asking about the new loan for Mauritius. She explains that at least 75% of the contract must use Indian supplies, and no commission can be paid from the loan funds. She then advises the exporter to contact Exim Bank for the full terms, and reminds them to declare shipments on the Export Declaration Form.

What changed

Exim Bank signed an agreement with the Government of Mauritius on February 19, 2021, for a USD 100 million LoC to finance defence item imports from India. The LoC became effective on July 22, 2021, with a terminal utilization period of 60 months after project completion. RBI has now issued operational instructions to AD Category-I banks regarding this LoC.

What it means for you

Indian defence exporters can now access this LoC for eligible contracts, with a mandatory 75% local sourcing requirement. AD banks must ensure no agency commission is paid from LoC proceeds, though exporters can use their own funds or EEFC balances for commission after full export value realization. Banks need to guide exporters to Exim Bank for detailed LoC terms.

What you must do

Who it affects

AD Category-I banks, Indian defence exporters, 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 minimum Indian content required under this LoC?

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

Can exporters pay agency commission on exports under this LoC?

No agency commission is payable from LoC proceeds. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full export value realization.

When did this LoC become effective and what is the utilization period?

The LoC became effective on July 22, 2021, and the terminal utilization period is 60 months after the scheduled completion date of the project.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2021-2022/85 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.09 August 12, 2021 All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks Madam/Sir Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 100 million to the Government of the Republic of Mauritius Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated February 19, 2021 with the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 100 million (USD One hundred million only) for procurement of defence items from India. 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 July 22, 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 (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/2021-2022/85 · issued 12 Aug 2021. 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 defence exporters, Exim Bank), your first concrete step on “USD 100 mn LoC to Mauritius for Defence Imports from India” is: “Inform exporter constituents about the USD 100 million LoC to Mauritius for defence procurement.” (RBI issued this 12 Aug 2021).

  1. Circular: RBI/2021-2022/85 -- USD 100 mn LoC to Mauritius for Defence Imports from India
  2. Issued: 12 Aug 2021
  3. Action required: Inform exporter constituents about the USD 100 million LoC to Mauritius for defence procurement.
  4. Action required: Advise exporters to obtain complete LoC details from Exim Bank's Mumbai office or website.
  5. Action required: Ensure shipments under this LoC are declared on Export Declaration Forms as per RBI instructions.
  6. Action required: Do not allow agency commission payments from LoC proceeds; only permit commission from exporter's own resources or EEFC after full export value realization.
  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=12145&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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