Exim Bank's USD 170 mn LoC to Guinea for Water Project
No longer current — replaced by Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Derivatives) Directions, 2022
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2021-2022/88 · issued 19 Aug 2021 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies AD Category-I banks of Exim Bank's USD 170 million Government of India-supported Line of Credit to Guinea for drinking water supply. At least 75% of contract value must be sourced from India. No agency commission is payable, but exporters can use own resources for commission after export realization.
What changed
Exim Bank signed a LoC agreement with Guinea on December 5, 2019, effective from August 11, 2021, for USD 170 million. The credit will finance exports for the Grand Conakry-Horizon 2040 water supply project. Shipments must be declared on Export Declaration Forms, and no agency commission is payable under this LoC.
What it means for you
Indian exporters can now access this LoC to supply goods and services for Guinea's water project, with a mandatory 75% local sourcing requirement. AD banks must facilitate remittances for commission only after full export value realization and in compliance with existing rules. This opens a targeted export financing avenue for Indian firms in infrastructure projects.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Inform exporter clients about the LoC details and direct them to Exim Bank for complete information.
Ensure export shipments under this LoC are declared on Export Declaration Forms as per RBI instructions.
Allow remittance of agency commission only after full export value realization and using exporter's own resources or EEFC balances.
Verify that at least 75% of contract value is sourced from India for each eligible contract.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Indian exporters of eligible goods and services, Exim Bank
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective from August 11, 2021
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 07:38 IST
Superseded by — Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Derivatives) Directions, 2022
Status change: superseded03 Aug 2026, 04:00 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 USD 170 million LoC to Guinea?
It finances the strengthening of drinking water supply in Grand Conakry-Horizon 2040 project in Guinea, with at least 75% of contract value sourced from India.
Can exporters pay agency commission under this LoC?
No agency commission is payable. However, exporters may use their own resources or EEFC balances to pay commission in free foreign exchange after full export value realization, subject to extant instructions.
What is the terminal utilization period for this LoC?
The terminal utilization period is 60 months from the scheduled completion date of the project, with the agreement effective from August 11, 2021.
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Superseded byMaster Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Credit Derivatives) Directions, 2022
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2021-2022/88
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.11
August 19, 2021
All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam/Sir
Exim Bank's Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of
USD 170 million to the Government of the Republic of Guinea
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement dated December 05, 2019 with the Government of the Republic of Guinea, for making available to the latter, Government of India supported Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 170 million (USD One Hundred and Seventy Million only) for financing the project for strengthening the drinking water supply of Grand Conakry-Horizon 2040, in the Republic of Guinea. 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 11, 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/2021-2022/88 · issued 19 Aug 2021. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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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=12148&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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