Bharat Chamber of Commerce Seeks RBI Support for Exporters Amid West Asia Disruptions

The Bharat Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has urged RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra to implement supportive banking measures for exporters affected by disruptions in global logistics and shipping routes due to tensions in West Asia. The BCC highlighted challenges like diverted shipping routes, port congestion, increased freight and insurance costs, and extended transit times, which strain exporters' liquidity. It requested enhanced working capital limits, ad-hoc credit facilities, extended credit tenures, moratorium extensions on loan repayments through mid-2026, and regulatory relief to protect exporters from penal interest and loss of benefits under the Interest Equalisation Scheme. The chamber also sought longer permissible transit periods for export bills and greater flexibility in export financing, especially for MSME exporters.