external commercial borrowings (ecb)
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External Commercial
Borrowing
Borrowing from outside India
ECB Includes:
Bank Loans Securitized instruments
Supplier‟s Credit
Buyer‟s credit
Loan from Foreign
Collaborator/ Foreign Equity Holder
Minimum Average Maturity must be three years
Policy
Permitted by the government as a source of finance for Corporate to expand their existing capacity & for fresh
investment
An annual cap or ceiling on access to ECB
Greater priority for projects in infrastructure, power, oil, telecom, railways, roads, & bridges, ports, Industrial parks,
urban infrastructure & export sectors
Aspects to be focused under ECB
Eligible Borrowers
Eligible lenders
Limits for raising ECB
Average Maturity
Period
All-in Cost ceiling
End Use permitted
End Use not permitted
Two ways of raising ECB
Eligible Borrowers
Automatic Route
Corporate other than hotel , hospital and
software up to USD 750
million
Corporate in service sector viz. Hotel,
Hospital, and software up to
USD 200 million
Units in Special Economic Zone
(SEZ)
NGOs engaged in micro finance
activities (Relationship of at least 3 years with scheduled
bank and granted „fit and proper‟ status
AD Bank)
Financial Intermediaries such as Banks, Financial Institutions, Housing Finance Companies,
NBFCs, Trusts, Individuals and Non Profit making organizations are not eligible to raise ECB
Recognized Lenders
International banks
International capital markets
Financial institutions such as IFC,
ADB, CDC etc.
Suppliers of equipments
Foreign collaborators
Foreign equity Holders (other than OCBs)
Individuals and Overseas organizations
Recognized Lenders
Limits for raising ECBCorporate in service sector other than
hotel , hospital and service up to USD 750 million
Corporate in service sector like Hotel, Hospital, and software up to USD 200
million
NGO engaged in micro finance activity and Micro Finance Institutions can raise
ECB up to USD 10 million or its equivalent
ECB up to USD 20 million can have call/ put option
Average maturity period
LimitsMinimum Average
Maturity period
Up to USD 20 million or its
equivalent 3 years
Above USD 20 million or
its equivalent
5 years
All-in- cost ceilings
Average Maturity
Period
All-in-cost Ceiling over
6 month LIBOR
3 years and up to 5
years
350 basis points
More than five years 500 basis points
End Use PermittedImport of Capital Goods
Executing new projects
Modernization / Expansion of existing units
In infrastructure sector such as Railways, Roads etc.
Payment of spectrum allocation
Implementation of new projects or modernization /expansion of existing production units in Real Sector, Industrial sector, Infrastructure sector
End Use PermittedFirst and second stage acquisition of shares in the disinvestment process under the Government‟s disinvestment programme of PSU shares.
Overseas direct investment in Joint Ventures (JV)/ Wholly Owned Subsidiaries (WOS).
Interest During Construction (IDC) for Indian companies which are in the infrastructure sector,.
For lending to self-help group or for micro-credit or for bona fide micro finance activity including capacity building by NGOs engaged in micro finance activities.
Eligible Borrowers
Approval Route
lending by EXIM Bank for specific purposes
ECB with minimum average
maturity of 5 years by NBFC
Corporate which have violated the extant ECB policy and are under
investigation by the RBI and/or ED
Banks and financial
institutions which had
participated in the textile or steel sector restructuring
SEZ developers
for providing infrastructur
e facilities within SEZ
Eligible Borrowers
Approval Route
Infrastructure Finance Companies
availing ECB for on-
lending to the
infrastructure sector
Corporate in service sector
other than hotel ,
hospital and service above
USD 750 million
Corporate in service sector like Hotel, Hospital,
and software up to above200 million
Foreign Currency
Convertible Bonds
(FCCBs) by Housing Finance
Companies
Multi state Cooperative
societies engaged in
manufacturing activities
Eligible Borrowers
Approval Route
Special Purpose Vehicles or any
other entity notified by the Reserve Bank,
set up to finance infrastructure
companies/projects exclusively,
will be treated as financial
institutions.
ECB from indirect equity holder provided
the indirect equity holding by the lender in the Indian Company is at least 51%.
ECB from a group company provided both
the borrower and the foreign lender are
subsidiaries of the same parent
Case falling outside the
purview of the automatic route
limits and maturity period.
Recognized lenders
Same as in Automatic Route
Foreign equity Holders
Minimum holding required: Paid up equity held directly by the foreign equity lender is 25% but ECB liability-equity
ratio exceeds 4:1 and up to 7:1
All-in- cost ceilings
Average Maturity
Period
All-in-cost Ceiling over
6 month LIBOR
3 years and up to 5
years
350 basis points
More than five years 500 basis points
End Use PermittedThe first stage acquisition of shares in the disinvestment process and also in the mandatory second stage offer to the public under the Government‟s disinvestment programme of PSU shares.
Bridge Finance- Indian Companies which are in the infrastructure sector are permitted to import capital goods by availing of short term credit(including buyer‟s /supplier‟s credit) in the nature of „bridge finance‟.
Repayment of Rupee loans availed from domestic banking system
Implementation of new projects or modernization /expansion of existing production units in Real Sector, Industrial Sector, Infrastructure Sector
End Use PermittedThe payment by eligible borrowers in the Telecom sector, for spectrumallocation may, initially be met out of Rupee resources by the successfulbidders, to be refinanced with a long-term ECB.
Investment for import of capital goods
Overseas direct investment in Joint Ventures (JV)/ Wholly OwnedSubsidiaries (WOS) subject to the existing guidelines on Indian DirectInvestment in JV/ WOS abroad.
Interest During Construction (IDC) for Indian companies which are in theinfrastructure sector, subject to IDC being capitalized and forming part ofthe project cost.
End Use not Permitted
for real estatesector,
For on-lending orinvestment in capitalmarket or acquiring acompany (or a partthereof) in India by acorporateexcept InfrastructureFinance Companies (IFCs),banks and financialinstitutions eligible
for working capital,general corporatepurpose and repaymentof existing Rupee loans.
Other Important points
Issuance of guarantee, standby letter of credit, letter of undertaking or letter of comfort by banks/ financial institutions/ NBFCs are not permitted.
Borrowers are permitted to keep ECB proceeds abroad or remit these to India pending utilization for permissible end uses.
ECB proceeds kept abroad can be invested in deposit/ certificate of deposits/ other products offered by banks, Treasury Bills of 1 year, deposits with overseas branches of Indian Banks - rated not less than AA(-) by S&P/ Fitch/ Moody
Other Important pointsPrepayment of ECB up to USD 500 million is allowed by AD Banks withoutapproval of RBI subject to compliance with minimum average maturitystipulation.
Existing ECB can be refinanced by raising a fresh ECB - outstanding maturityof the existing ECB is maintained and fresh ECB is raised at a lower cost.
Borrower to submit an application in form ECB through designated AD bank tothe chief General Manager-in-charge, Foreign Exchange Department, ReserveBank of India, Central Office, External Commercial Borrowings Divisions,Mumbai- 400 001, along with necessary documents.
Conversion of ECB into Equity
Conversion of ECB into equity
is permitted subject to the
following conditions:
The activity of the company is covered
under the Automatic Route for Foreign Direct Investment
Government (FIPB) approval for foreign equity participation has been obtained by
the company
The foreign equity holding after such
conversion of debt into equity is within the
sectoral cap
Pricing of shares is as per the pricing
guidelines issued under FEMA, 1999 in the
case of listed/ unlisted companies.
Reporting of ECB
Two types of conversation:
Full Conversation of Outstanding ECB into equity
Clear indication on the top of the form ECB 2 of words “ECB
wholly converted to equity”
Partial Conversation of Outstanding ECB into equity
Clear indication on the top of the form ECB 2 of words “ECB partially converted to equity”
Conversion of ECB may be reported to Reserve Bank of India by Filling of Form FC GPR to
the Reserve Bank and Form ECB 2 to DSIM within seven days from the close of month to
which it relates.
AD banks desiring to crystallize their foreign exchange
liability arising out of guarantees provided for ECB raised by
corporate in India into Rupees, may make an
application to the RBI.
Crystallization of ECB
Procedure
Submit Form 83 in duplicate, certified by the CompanySecretary or Chartered Accountant. One copy isforwarded to AD and other copies to DSIM, RBI.
Obtain Loan request number (LRN)
Draw-down the loan after obtaining LRN
Borrowers are required to submit Form ECB 2 Returnby designated AD to DSIM, RBI on monthly basis.