EXIM Bank India

The Export-Import Bank of India, commonly known as India Exim Bank or EXIM Bank India, is a specialised financial institution established by the Government of India to finance, facilitate and promote the country's international trade and cross-border investment. It is not a conventional mass-market commercial bank: its principal role is to support Indian exporters, importers, project contractors, investors and overseas buyers through structured trade and development finance. The institution operates as a statutory corporation under the Export-Import Bank of India Act, 1981, which received presidential assent on 7 April 1982. The bank is owned by the Government of India and is headquartered in Mumbai. Its business covers the trade cycle from preparation for shipment through settlement after delivery. Products include pre-shipment and post-shipment export credit, buyer's credit for overseas purchasers of Indian goods and services, supplier's credit, project export finance, working-capital support, overseas investment finance and lines of credit. Through these instruments, the bank can support Indian companies selling equipment, engineering services, infrastructure work and manufactured products abroad, while also helping overseas governments, financial institutions and buyers procure from India. It additionally provides advisory, research, market-development and capacity-building services for businesses seeking to internationalise. A distinctive part of the bank's mandate is its use of lines of credit and development-partnership facilities. These arrangements can finance infrastructure, energy, water, housing, transport and other projects in developing economies, with procurement linked to Indian goods and services where applicable. The bank has worked with overseas governments and institutions and has developed relationships with multilateral and regional development banks. Its international network has included offices and representative operations in markets such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Africa and Asia, allowing it to support Indian companies beyond the domestic banking system. The institution broadened its role over time. It began with a mandate centred on export finance, then expanded into overseas government credit, export development for small and medium-sized enterprises, buyer financing, equity and quasi-equity support for Indian companies investing abroad, project-development advisory and trade-promotion programmes. Its Africa-focused initiatives and development-partnership funds have been particularly important expressions of India's economic diplomacy and commercial engagement with the continent. The bank has also supported rural entrepreneurship, research on international trade and training for exporters and public-sector stakeholders. EXIM Bank India is organised around corporate banking, project finance, lines of credit, small and medium-sized enterprise business, export services, risk management and treasury, together with legal, compliance, audit, technology and other corporate functions. Its domestic presence includes offices in major Indian commercial centres, while overseas offices and representative offices provide market access and relationship support. The institution has also developed affiliated vehicles, including an asset-management subsidiary and an entity established in the International Financial Services Centre at GIFT City. Its present identity is therefore that of a public-sector trade and development-finance institution rather than a general retail bank, with a strategic purpose tied to India's export competitiveness, overseas project execution and international economic relationships.

India Exim Bank was created by the Government of India in response to the need for a dedicated institution capable of supporting international trade beyond the scope of ordinary banking. The legal foundation was the Export-Import Bank of India Act, 1981. The legislation was introduced in Parliament by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, passed by both houses and received presidential assent on 7 April 1982. The bank was established in 1982 as a statutory corporation, with R. S. Rathore serving as its first chairman and managing director. Its core mandate was to provide finance, insurance-related support, advisory assistance and other facilities connected with India's exports and imports. During its early years, the bank built the institutional infrastructure needed to support exporters and overseas counterparties. It established a London representative office in 1983 and, from 1985, began extending lines of credit to overseas governments. These facilities gave foreign public-sector buyers access to financing for Indian goods and services while helping Indian companies participate in international projects. The model combined commercial trade support with a development-finance function and later became an important instrument in India's engagement with developing countries. In the 1990s, the bank broadened its programmes. It established an Export Development Fund in 1991 to assist small and medium-sized Indian businesses with export activity and introduced a buyer's credit programme in 1992. In 1994, it worked with the African Development Bank on the India-Africa Fund, strengthening the institution's role in trade and investment promotion between India and African markets. In 1999, the India Development Fund added equity and quasi-equity support for Indian companies pursuing overseas investment, moving the bank beyond short-term trade finance into longer-term internationalisation. The 2000s and 2010s saw a stronger focus on economic diplomacy, project exports and development partnerships. The bank's Rural Initiative for Supporting Entrepreneurship programme, introduced in 2003, sought to support rural entrepreneurs. In 2007, the India-Africa Trade and Investment Promotion Programme was launched to encourage commercial relationships with African economies. The bank later introduced a Project Development and Monitoring Facility in 2011, providing advisory assistance to Indian companies investing or executing projects abroad. It also entered development-partnership arrangements, including an India-South Africa fund established with the Development Bank of Southern Africa in 2015. The bank's lines of credit have supported projects in areas including roads, electrical infrastructure, housing, water systems, solar energy and other public infrastructure. Examples described in reference material include financing associated with Nepal in 2008, Uzbekistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Maldives, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Ghana in 2019, and Cuba in 2020. These transactions illustrate the dual purpose of the institution: facilitating overseas development while creating opportunities for Indian exporters, engineering firms and project contractors. In 2020, the bank introduced a Global Network Programme to extend its overseas reach and provide more coordinated support to Indian companies operating internationally. Its network has included domestic offices in cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Guwahati, along with overseas offices or representative operations in markets including London, Washington, Johannesburg, Singapore, Tokyo, Beijing, Dhaka and Yangon. The precise status of individual offices can change, so current network details should be verified against the bank's official disclosures. The institution has also developed related entities and platforms. EXIM Bank Asset Management Company was incorporated in 2015 and operates in alternative investment management, while India Exim Finserve IFSC Private Limited was incorporated in 2023 in Gujarat's GIFT City International Financial Services Centre. In 2024, the bank opened a representative office in Nairobi, reinforcing its African focus. Across its history, India Exim Bank has remained a public-sector specialist lender whose activities connect export competitiveness, overseas investment, infrastructure finance and India's broader international economic policy.

• 2024

  Nairobi representative office

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank opened a representative office in Nairobi, Kenya.

• 2020

  Global Network Programme

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank launched a programme intended to expand its international footprint and support Indian businesses abroad.

• 2015

  India-South Africa development partnership

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank signed an agreement with the Development Bank of Southern Africa to establish a development-partnership fund.

• 2011

  Project Development and Monitoring Facility

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank introduced an advisory facility for Indian companies developing or monitoring overseas projects.

• 2007

  India-Africa trade promotion programme

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank launched a programme focused on strengthening trade and investment ties between India and Africa.

• 2003

  Rural entrepreneurship initiative

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The Rural Initiative for Supporting Entrepreneurship programme was launched to assist rural entrepreneurs.

• 1999

  India Development Fund

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The India Development Fund was introduced to provide equity and quasi-equity support for Indian companies investing overseas.

• 1994

  India-Africa Fund

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank signed an agreement with the African Development Bank to establish the India-Africa Fund.

• 1992

  Buyer’s credit programme

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  The bank launched buyer’s credit for overseas purchasers of Indian goods and services.

• 1991

  Export Development Fund

  [1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  An Export Development Fund was established to support export activity by Indian small and medium-sized enterprises.

Showing the 10 most recent.

Government-owned specialist trade-finance and development-finance institution supporting Indian exports, overseas investment and economic partnerships.

• Export finance

  Pre-shipment export credit

  Financing provided before goods are shipped, enabling Indian exporters to purchase inputs, manufacture products, execute contracts and prepare consignments for international buyers. It supports the working-capital needs associated with confirmed or prospective export orders and forms an early stage of the bank's trade-finance offering.

• Export finance

  Post-shipment export credit

  Finance made available after shipment to bridge the period between delivery of exported goods or services and receipt of payment from the overseas buyer. This helps exporters manage receivables and maintain liquidity while complying with the terms of international contracts.

• Development and trade finance · 1985

  Lines of Credit

  Structured credit facilities extended to overseas governments, financial institutions and other eligible entities. They can support infrastructure and development projects and enable recipient markets to purchase Indian goods, equipment and services on agreed financing terms.

• Trade finance · 1992

  Buyer’s Credit

  Financing for overseas buyers purchasing Indian goods or services. By giving the buyer access to supported credit, the programme can improve the competitiveness of Indian exporters and facilitate larger cross-border contracts, particularly where the buyer needs medium- or long-term payment terms.

• Project finance

  Project Export Finance

  Finance for Indian companies executing projects outside India, including engineering, construction, infrastructure and related contracts. The product is designed for the longer tenors, contract structures and country risks associated with overseas project execution.

• Investment finance · 1999

  Overseas Investment Finance

  Funding and related support for Indian companies establishing or expanding operations abroad. The bank's internationalisation role has included longer-term investment support as well as equity and quasi-equity assistance through development-oriented programmes.

• SME finance · 1991

  SME export support

  Finance, advisory assistance and market-development support for Indian small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to begin or expand export operations. The offering is linked to the bank's objective of broadening participation in international trade.

• Advisory services

  Advisory and export services

  Research, market intelligence, export counselling, project-development assistance and capacity-building programmes for businesses and public-sector stakeholders. These services complement lending by helping clients identify markets, structure transactions and manage international expansion.

• 2020Global Network Programme

  Global

  An initiative intended to expand the bank's overseas network and improve support for Indian companies operating in international markets.

  Outcome. Extended the institution's international business-development focus.

  Source
• 2007India-Africa Trade and Investment Promotion Programme

  India · Africa

  A trade-promotion initiative designed to identify and encourage business and investment opportunities between Indian and African firms and institutions.

  Outcome. Strengthened the bank's role in India-Africa economic engagement.

  Source
• 2003Rural Initiative for Supporting Entrepreneurship

  India

  A programme aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in rural India and broadening access to enterprise assistance.

  Outcome. Supported the bank's wider entrepreneurship and development mandate.

  Source
• 1994India-Africa Fund

  India · Africa

  A fund established with the African Development Bank to encourage trade and investment flows between India and African economies.

  Outcome. Created a platform for India-Africa commercial and development cooperation.

  Source

• 2020

  Expand the global support networkStrategy

  Background

  Indian companies operating across borders need local market intelligence and relationship support.

  Action taken

  The bank launched its Global Network Programme to extend its overseas footprint.

  Aftermath

  The initiative reinforced the bank's international platform for trade, investment and project support.

  Source

• 2011

  Add project-development advisory supportStrategy

  Background

  Overseas projects require assistance before and during execution, in addition to loan funding.

  Action taken

  The bank launched a Project Development and Monitoring Facility for Indian companies investing abroad.

  Aftermath

  The institution strengthened its advisory role in overseas project identification, preparation and monitoring.

  Source

• 1999

  Support Indian overseas investmentStrategy

  Background

  Indian companies were increasingly seeking to establish businesses and execute projects outside the domestic market.

  Action taken

  The bank established the India Development Fund to provide equity and quasi-equity support for overseas investment.

  Aftermath

  Its mandate expanded from export transactions toward longer-term internationalisation of Indian companies.

  Source

• 1992

  Launch buyer’s creditProduct launch

  Background

  Overseas customers often require competitive financing to purchase Indian goods and services.

  Action taken

  The bank introduced a buyer’s credit programme for eligible overseas purchasers.

  Aftermath

  The programme expanded the bank's ability to support Indian exports through financing offered directly to foreign buyers.

  Source

• 1982

  Create a dedicated national export-finance institutionStrategy

  Background

  India required a specialised institution to finance and promote international trade and overseas investment.

  Action taken

  The Government of India established India Exim Bank under the Export-Import Bank of India Act, 1981.

  Aftermath

  The bank became a statutory public-sector institution with a mandate spanning trade finance, project finance, advisory services and international development partnerships.

  Source

• 2024

  India Exim Bank opens Nairobi representative office[1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The bank expanded its African representation by opening a representative office in Nairobi, Kenya.

• 1992

  Buyer’s credit programme introduced[1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The bank launched buyer’s credit to provide competitive financing to overseas purchasers of Indian goods and services.

• 1985

  India Exim Bank expands government lines of credit[1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The bank began offering lines of credit to overseas governments, helping finance purchases of Indian goods and services on supported terms.

• 1983

  India Exim Bank opens first overseas representative office in London[1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The bank began developing an overseas presence with a representative office in London to support international business and Indian exporters.

• 1982

  India Exim Bank established under statutory export-finance mandate[1]Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Government of India established the bank under the Export-Import Bank of India Act, 1981, to finance and promote international trade.

1. 1Export-Import Bank of Indiaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official website of Export-Import Bank of Indiaeximbankindia.in