Our dedicated Trade Facilitation Desk acts as a central point of contact for businesses undertaking or seeking to expand their trade between the UK, India and global markets. Leveraging SBI's extensive domestic and international network, the Desk helps customers connect with the appropriate banking partners and facilitates cross-border trade opportunities.

The Trade Facilitation Desk offers:

• Integrated Banking Solutions – Coordinating with our Trade, Corporate Banking and Relationship teams to provide appropriate trade finance solutions, including Letters of Credit, Collections, Buyer's Credit, Bill Discounting, Supply Chain Finance and Trade Risk Distribution.

• Cross-Border Coordination – Facilitating seamless coordination across SBI's operations in India, the UK and other international centres to support customers' international banking requirements.

• Trade and Banking Guidance – Providing guidance on trade documentation, banking procedures and available trade finance solutions.

Whether you are an importer, exporter or multinational corporate, our Trade Facilitation Desk is committed to supporting your international trade journey by connecting you with the right expertise and SBI's global banking network.

The Trade Facilitation Desk provides banking support and coordination. It does not provide legal, tax or commercial advice.

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Letters of Credit are irrevocable documentary credit instruments issued by banks to facilitate international trade by providing payment assurance to buyers and sellers, subject to their terms and conditions.

Import Letters of Credit

We issue Import Letters of Credit on behalf of buyers, providing payment assurance to overseas exporters. Issuance is subject to the availability of an approved credit facility and completion of the Bank's documentation requirements.

Export Letters of Credit

We advise, confirm (where applicable) and process Export Letters of Credit received from issuing banks worldwide, providing exporters with efficient documentary credit services.

Bank Guarantees – A Bank Guarantee is an irrevocable undertaking issued by the Bank to provide financial assurance to a beneficiary if the applicant fails to fulfil its contractual or financial obligations.

We offer a comprehensive range of Bank Guarantees to support domestic and international business transactions, including:

• Bid Bonds / Tender Guarantees – Supporting participation in tenders and contract bidding processes.

• Advance Payment Guarantees – Securing advance payments made under commercial contracts.

• Performance Guarantees – Providing assurance of contractual performance and fulfilment of agreed obligations.

• Retention Money Guarantees – Facilitating the release of retention amounts held under contracts.

• Financial Guarantees – Supporting financial obligations where a guarantee is required.

• Guarantees in favour of Government Departments, Statutory Authorities and Other Institutions – Issued in accordance with applicable regulations and the Bank's policies.

Bank guarantees are issued subject to the Bank’s credit assessment, internal policies, document requirements and applicable regulatory requirements.

Our worldwide documentary collection services provide a secure and efficient method for handling import and export documents, whether or not they are supported by Letters of Credit.

Export Collections (Outward Bills)

We forward export documents to the buyer's bank with instructions to release documents either against payment or acceptance, in accordance with the exporter's instructions.

Import Collections (Inward Bills)

We process documentary collections received from overseas banks and facilitate payment or acceptance by importers in accordance with the collection instructions.

Our Trade Finance team offers a comprehensive range of structured trade and working capital solutions designed to support importers, exporters and multinational corporates engaged in international trade.

Buyer's Credit

We provide competitive import financing solutions for eligible trade transactions in major currencies, subject to the Bank's credit assessment and internal policies.

Bill Discounting

We discount eligible export receivables backed by Letters of Credit issued by acceptable banks. Requests for financing of non-LC backed receivables may also be considered, subject to the Bank's prevailing credit policy and risk assessment.

Factoring & Receivables Finance

We offer a range of Factoring and Receivables Finance solutions designed to help businesses improve cash flow and optimise working capital. Our solutions help businesses improve liquidity, optimise working capital and efficiently manage trade receivables and payables.

Our solutions include:

• Export Factoring – Financing and management of receivables arising from export sales.
• Import Factoring – Solutions to support importers and overseas suppliers through efficient receivables management.
• Reverse Factoring (Supplier Finance) – Supporting buyers and suppliers through structured supply chain finance programmes that enable suppliers to receive early payment while allowing buyers to optimise payment terms.
• Receivables / Invoice Financing – Financing against eligible trade receivables and invoices to improve working capital and liquidity.
• Syndicated, Club and Co-financing Programmes – Participation in receivables financing transactions alongside other financial institutions.
• Secondary Market Transactions – Purchase and sale of eligible trade assets and receivables, subject to applicable policies and regulatory requirements.
• Platform-based Supply Chain Finance – Technology-enabled financing solutions that provide efficient access to working capital for buyers and suppliers.

Factoring solutions may be structured with recourse, with limited recourse or without recourse, depending on the nature of the transaction, customer requirements and the Bank's credit assessment.

Trade team Tel: +44 20 7454 4319, +44 20 7454 4464

Email: trade1.london@statebank.com, trade2.london@statebank.com

Head (Trade)Tel: +44 20 7454 4305

Email: headtrade.london@statebank.com

Important information

The information on this page is provided for general information purposes only and is intended solely for corporate, institutional and professional clients. It does not constitute investment advice, legal advice, tax advice, a recommendation or an offer or commitment by State Bank of India to provide any product or service. Any financing, guarantee or other banking service referred to is subject to applicable laws and regulations, the Bank's internal policies, satisfactory due diligence, documentation and credit approval. Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply.