ECB Limit Raised to 75% of Forex Earning in Last Three years

[Ref: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 26 dated 11 September 2012]

Subject: External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) Policy – Repayment of Rupee loans and/or fresh Rupee capital expenditure – USD 10 billion scheme

Attention of Authorized Dealer Category - I (AD Category - I) banks is invited to A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 134 dated June 25, 2012.

2. As per the extant guidelines, the maximum permissible ECB that can be availed of by an individual company under the scheme is limited to 50 per cent of the average annual export earnings realised during the past three financial years.

3. On a review, it has been decided:

(a) to enhance the maximum permissible limit of ECB that can be availed of to 75 per cent of the average foreign exchange earnings realized during the immediate past three financial years or 50 per cent of the highest foreign exchange earnings realized in any of the immediate past three financial years, whichever is higher;

(b) in case of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), which have completed at least one year of existence from the date of incorporation and do not have sufficient track record/past performance for three financial years, the maximum permissible ECB that can be availed of will be limited to 50 per cent of the annual export earnings realized during the past financial year; and

(c) The maximum ECB that can be availed by an individual company or group, as a whole, under this scheme will be restricted to USD 3 billion.

4. All other aspects of the scheme mentioned in A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 134 dated June 25, 2012 would remain unchanged.

5. AD Category-I banks may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents and customers concerned.

6. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.