Guwahati, June 8: HDFC Bank, which has 121 branches in the Northeast, including Sikkim, has become the first bank in the region to provide foreign exchange services in all its branches.

"With the Centre's focus turning towards the Northeast under the Act East Policy, the bank has extended all its foreign exchange offers to all the branches in the region. This has been done to ease export import business, cater to travellers and help smooth money transfer to people abroad from here," Sourjendu Gupta, Northeast circle head of HDFC Bank, said here this afternoon.

The bank offers exchange in 22 currencies.

All the branches have been equipped to help customers with import payments, export proceedings, FDI and external commercial borrowings.

"Customers can transfer up to US $5,000 using the digital app of the bank, Remit Now, on netbanking while the businesses can avail convenient Trade-on-Net services for international trades," he said.

The bank will also offer Multicurrency ForexPlus Credit Card, a foreign exchange card, which can be linked with the customer's credit cards to allow them make transactions in any of the 21 currency zones that the bank offers service at the cost of one conversion charge only.

"The bank has set up forex helpdesk at Haj House in Guwahati to help pilgrims with currency exchange. It is jointly working with the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO) and Director General of Foreign Trade to encourage exports from the Northeast by reaching out to exporters," he said.

According to industry reports, there are around 3,000 companies engaged in export/import business within seven land customs port in the Northeast. HDFC has more than three lakh customers in the Northeast and Sikkim.