The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the Trade Relief Measures Directions, 2025 on 14th November 2025 to help exporters and businesses that rely on trade and are facing problems due to global issues. These rules are meant to make it easier for businesses to repay their loans and keep running smoothly, even if they are affected by things like supply delays, tariffs, or economic slowdowns.
These measures became effective immediately and are designed to support businesses without harming their credit history.
Applicability
These Directions apply to all Regulated Entities (REs), which include:
- Commercial Banks
- Urban, State, and Central Co-operative Banks
- Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), including Housing Finance Companies
- All-India Financial Institutions
- Credit Information Companies (CICs) – for reporting purposes
Eligibility for Borrowers: To benefit from these RBI trade relief measures, a business must:
- Be engaged in exports from sectors specified by RBI (like chemicals, textiles, footwear, machinery, vehicles, pearls, jewellery, and similar items.
- Have an outstanding export credit loan as of 31st August 2025
- Have accounts classified as “Standard” on 31st August 2025
Even if a borrower has multiple lenders, other banks/NBFCs can rely on certification from the lender that extended the export credit.
Key Provisions / Relief Measures - The RBI has introduced specific measures to help exporters manage their loans and working capital during trade disruptions as-
1. Moratorium / Deferment
- Term loans: If your business has a loan, you can pause paying the principal and/or interest for the period from 1st September to 31st December 2025.
- Working capital loans (like cash credit or overdraft): Banks can delay collecting interest during this period.
- Interest calculation: Any interest that builds up will be simple interest only, meaning you won’t pay interest on interest.
- Accumulated interest: Any interest that accumulates during this time can be converted into a separate loan, which you can repay by 30th September 2026.
- Liquidity support: Banks may also adjust your working capital limits or reduce margins to make sure your business has enough cash to run smoothly.
2. Extension of Export Credit Tenor
- Exporters can get more time to repay export loans, up to 450 days, for pre-shipment and post-shipment loans disbursed until 31st March 2026.
- For packing credit loans that couldn’t be used because goods weren’t shipped on time, businesses can repay these loans using other legitimate sources, like domestic sales or payment from another export order.
Reporting and Disclosure
- A Regulated Entity must keep a record of all the relief measures they give to businesses.
- They have to submit reports every two weeks (on the 15th and at the end of the month) on RBI’s DAKSH platform.
- The reports should show details for each borrower and each loan/facility, so everything is clear and transparent.
Credit Protection and Provisioning Requirements
- The moratorium or deferment of payments shall not affect the asset classification of borrower accounts; accounts will continue to be classified as “Standard.”
- Granting a moratorium/deferment shall not be treated as loan restructuring, thereby safeguarding the borrower’s credit rating.
- Credit Information Companies (CICs) are required to ensure that borrowers’ credit histories are not adversely impacted.
- For eligible accounts that are in default but classified as “Standard” on 31st August 2025, regulated entities must create a general provision of at least 5% by 31st December 2025.
- Such provisions may be adjusted against specific slippages, and any residual provisions by 30th June 2026 may be either utilized against other borrower accounts or written back.
Eligible Sectors - All sectors listed under the RBI Trade Relief Measures Directions, 2025, are eligible for relief. These include:
- Fish and crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic invertebrates (HS 03)
- Organic chemicals (HS 29)
- Miscellaneous chemical products (HS 38)
- Plastic and articles thereof (HS 39)
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS 40)
- Articles of leather, saddlery, harness, travel goods, handbags, similar containers, and animal gut products (HS 42)
- Carpets and other textile floor coverings (HS 57)
- Knitted apparel and clothing accessories (HS 61)
- Non-knitted apparel and clothing accessories (HS 62)
- Other made-up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and rags (HS 63)
- Footwear, gaiters, and similar articles; parts of such articles (HS 64)
- Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica, or similar materials (HS 68)
- Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, imitation jewellery, coins (HS 71)
- Articles of iron or steel (HS 73)
- Aluminium and articles thereof (HS 76)
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS 84)
- Electrical machinery and equipment; parts; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders; parts (HS 85)
- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts/accessories thereof (HS 87)
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments; parts/accessories (HS 90)
- Furniture; bedding, mattresses, cushions and similar stuffed furnishing; lamps and lighting fittings (HS 94)
Conclusion
The RBI Trade Relief Measures Directions, 2025 provide timely and targeted support to exporters and trade-dependent businesses affected by global economic and trade disruptions. By offering moratoriums on loan repayments, extending export credit tenors, and providing liquidity support, these measures help businesses manage cash flow pressures and continue operations without financial strain.
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