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Foreign Direct Investments in India

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Henry Cruise
Foreign Direct Investments in India

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an investment made by a company or entity based in one country, into a company or entity based in another country. Foreign direct investment is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments.


In India FDI is allowed through automatic route without prior approval either by Government of India or Reserve Bank of India in all activities/sectors except few which relate to the sectors/activities going under Industrial licensing/sectoral policy/prohibited list.

Allowed Sectors:

  • Automobiles
  • Aviation
  • Banking (Private Sector)
  • Biotechnology
  • Chemicals (other than fertilizers) /Petrochemicals
  • Computer Software & Hardware
  • Construction Development Projects (housing, real estate broking service etc.)
  • Electronics Telecommunications Textiles Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Government Initiatives For Foreign Direct Investments In India

India is the fastest growing major economy in the world as per International Monetary Fund (IMF). India is also one of the most open economies globally, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) being the key driver of economic growth.


The Government of India has taken several steps to simplify and liberalize the FDI policy regime since its inception in 1991. The objective behind these reforms has been to provide easy access to foreign technology and investment, thereby enhancing competitiveness of Indian industry and infrastructure. Further, these reforms have been aimed at benefiting Indian consumers by making available a wide range of goods and services at competitive prices while strengthening Indian companies through access to global best practices in management, technology and quality standards.


Foreign investment control rules in india

The government has the right to impose restrictions on foreign investments. As a result, many foreign investors are reluctant to invest in India. In order to encourage foreign investors to invest in India, the government has taken steps to liberalize the foreign investment laws. The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) was enacted as a result of this. The law governs all transactions between Indian residents and non-residents. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also regulates foreign investment under FEMA.


What to consider if you invest in India

The FDI policy for foreign investment is governed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and is responsible for issuing guidelines for FDI under FEMA. In order to promote foreign direct investment in India, the government has removed several restrictions on the FDI policy and has granted automatic approval for various sectors.

In addition to FDI, there are other forms of foreign investment in India such as portfolio investments, external commercial loans, and contractual arrangements such as joint ventures, technology transfers and licensing agreements. Each of these types of investments is regulated by different laws.

This is an investing guide to India by a long-term foreign investor. I have been living in and investing in India for about a decade, so this guide is based on my personal experiences.


Here are some general rules you should consider before you even think about investing in India:

India's stock market is still dominated by the Indian retail investors. They tend to be very emotional and their behavior impacts the entire market. You will often see extreme reactions from the market, whether it's in the form of a sharp rally or a deep sell-off. As a foreign investor who doesn't have constant access to your portfolio, it can be frustrating to see such wild swings in your investment values. But you need to understand that this is part of the investing culture in India. If you are not prepared for this kind of volatility, you will end up making poor decisions.


Do not invest large sums of money all at once. This is true for any emerging market but especially so for India because of its high volatility. The more money you put into the market at one time, the more difficult it will be to manage the portfolio when things go wrong. It is better to invest smaller amounts over time and build up your portfolio gradually.



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Henry Cruise
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