Foreign Direct Investment in India

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India has played an important role in the development of the
Indian economy. FDI in India has – in a lot of ways – enabled India to achieve a certain degree
of financial stability, growth and development. This money has allowed India to focus on the
areas that may have needed economic attention, and address the various problems that continue
to challenge the country.

India has continually sought to attract FDI from the world’s major investors. In 1998 and 1999,
the Indian national government announced a number of reforms designed to encourage FDI and
present a favorable scenario for investors.

FDI investments are permitted through financial collaborations, through private equity or
preferential allotments, by way of capital markets through Euro issues, and in joint ventures. FDI
is not permitted in the arms, nuclear, railway, coal & lignite or mining industries.

A number of projects have been announced in areas such as electricity generation, distribution
and transmission, as well as the development of roads and highways, with opportunities for
foreign investors.

The Indian national government also provided permission to FDIs to provide up to 100% of the
financing required for the construction of bridges and tunnels, but with a limit on foreign equity
of INR 1,500 crores, approximately $352.5m.

Currently, FDI is allowed in financial services, including the growing credit card business. These
services include the non-banking financial services sector. Foreign investors can buy up to 40%
of the equity in private banks, although there is condition that stipulates that these banks must be
multilateral financial organizations. Up to 45% of the shares of companies in the global mobile
personal communication by satellite services (GMPCSS) sector can also be purchased.

By 2004, India received $5.3 billion in FDI, big growth compared to previous years, but less than
10% of the $60.6 billion that flowed into China. Why does India, with a stable democracy and a
smoother approval process, lag so far behind China in FDI amounts?

Although the Chinese approval process is complex, it includes both national and regional
approval in the same process.

Federal democracy is perversely an impediment for India. Local authorities are not part of the
approvals process and have their own rights, and this often leads to projects getting bogged down
in red tape and bureaucracy. India actually receives less than half the FDI that the federal
government approves.

Sectors Attracting FDI

Though the services sector in India constitutes the largest share in the Gross Domestic Product,
still it has failed to some extent in attracting more funds in the forms of investments.
Important sectors of the Indian Economy attracting more investments into the country are as
follows:

• Electrical Equipments (Including Computer Software & Electronic)

• Telecommunications (radio paging, cellular mobile, basic telephone service)
• Transportation Industry
• Services Sector (financial & non-financial)
• Fuels (Power + Oil Refinery)
• Chemical (other than fertilizers)
• Food Processing Industries
• Drugs & Pharmaceuticals
• Cement and Gypsum Products
• Metallurgical Industries

FDI Inflows Year-Wise

Opening up of door policies adopted by the Government of India through its new economic
policies has attracted more investments in to the country. Indian Industries have gone global and
in the same direction the inflow of FDI in to the country has increased at a faster rate.

The Inflow of FDI into the country over various years is as follows:

Amount of FDI inflows

Year (April-March)
(In US$ million)
1991-1992 (Aug-March) 167
1992-1993 393
1993-1994 654
1994-1995 1,374
1995-1996 2,141
1996-1997 2,770
1997-1998 3,682
1998-1999 3,083
1999-2000 2,439
2000-2001 2,908
2001-2002 4,222
2002-2003 3,134
2003-2004 2,634
2004-2005 3,755*
2005-2006 (Upto March 2006) 5,549

Find below the countrywise FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Inflows from April 2000 to April
2008:
 (For recent data visit: http://www.dipp.nic.in/fdi_statistics/indian_fdi_April2008.pdf)
Find below sector-wise FDI Inflows from August 1991 to December 2005:
FDI POLICIES IN INDIA:
The primary aim of these policies is to create a friendly business environment where foreign
investors feel comfortable with the legal and financial framework of the country, and have the
potential to reap profits from economically viable businesses. The prospect of new growth
opportunities and outsized profits encourages large capital inflows across a range of industry and
opportunity types.

Investors tend to look for predictable environments where they understand how decision-making
processes work. Governments therefore are incentivized to build up a track record of rational
decision making. The business environment often requires work to remove onerous regulations,
reduce corruption and encourage transparency. Governments often also seek to improve their
domestic infrastructure to meet the operational needs of investors.

Providing fiscal incentives for attracting FDI is a subject of controversy – analysts have argued
both in favor and against the idea. A general consensus is developing in favor of certain
incentives which have been proven historically to grow profits and therefore foreign investments.

When policies are effective, significant FDI investments are injected into countries that help the
domestic economy to grow. Different countries and regions offer various kinds of fiscal
incentives, with a related variance in the level of FDI investments attracted.

Governments are increasingly setting up promotional agencies to foster foreign direct

investment. These agencies promote FDI-friendly policies, identify prospective sectors and
investors, and structure specific deals and incentives for major foreign investors such as multi-
national corporations (MNCs).

Global trade associations also play a major role in some of these investment activities. These
associations are tasked with creating a positive environment for foreign direct investors and
ensuring that both investors and recipient countries enjoy a favorable environment.

The formation of human capital is vital for the continued growth of FDI inflows. To enable the
most beneficial, technology and IP-driven FDI, highly skilled personnel are necessary.
Governments must therefore enact policies to provide training and skills upgrading to develop
their workforce and meet the employment needs of foreign investors.

GUIDELINES FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF FDI PROPOSALS BY THE FOREIGN

INVESTMENT PROMOTION BOARD (FIPB)

(The Guidelines are meant to assist the FIPB to consider proposals in an objective and
transparent manner. These would not in any way restrict the flexibility or bind the FIPB from
considering the proposals in their totality or making recommendation based on other criteria or
special circumstances or features it considers relevant. Besides these are in the nature of
administrative Guidelines and would not in any way be legally binding in respect of any
recommendation to be made by the FIPB or decisions to be taken by the Government in cases
involving Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). These guidelines are issued without prejudice to the
Government's right to issue fresh guidelines or change the legal provisions and policies
whenever considered necessary.)

These guidelines stand modified to the extent changes have been notified by Secretariat for
Industrial Assistance from time to time.
The following Guidelines are laid-down to enable the Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) to consider the proposals for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and formulate its
recommendations.

 All applications should be put up before the FIPB by the SIA (Secretariat for Industrial
Assistance) within 15 days and it should be ensured that comments of the administrative
ministries are placed before the Board either prior to/or in the meeting of the Board.
 Proposals should be considered by the Board keeping in view the time frame of 30 days
for communicating Government decision (i.e. approval of C&IM/CCEA or rejection as
the case may be).
 In cases in which either the proposal is not cleared or further information is required, in
order to obviate delays presentation by applicant in the meeting of the FIPB should be
resorted to.
 While considering cases and making recommendations, FIPB should keep in mind the
sectoral requirements and the sectoral policies vis-a-vis the proposal(s).
 FIPB would consider each proposal in totality (i.e. if it includes apart from foreign
investment, technical collaboration/ industrial licence) for composite approval or
otherwise. However, the FIPB's recommendation would relate only to the approval for
foreign financial and technical collaboration and the foreign investor will need to take
other prescribed clearances separately.
 The Board should examine the following while considering proposals submitted to it for
consideration:
• Whether the items of activity involve industrial licence or not and if so the considerations
for grant of industrial licence must be gone into;
• Whether the proposal involves technical collaboration and if so:- (a) the source and
nature of technology sought to be transferred.
• Whether the proposal involves any mandatory requirement for exports and if so whether
the applicant is prepared to undertake such obligation (this is for items reserved for small
scale sector as also for dividend balancing, and for 100% EOUs/SEZ units);
• Whether the proposal involves any export projection and if so the items of export and the
projected destinations;
• Whether the proposal has concurrent commitment under other schemes such as EPCG
Scheme etc.
• In the case of Export Oriented Units (EOUs) whether the prescribed minimum value
addition norms and the minimum turn over of exports are met or not;
• Whether the proposal involves relaxation of locational restrictions stipulated in the
industrial licensing policy;
• Whether the proposal has any strategic or defence related considerations, and
• Whether the proposal has any previous joint venture or technology transfer/trademark
agreement in the same or allied field in India, the detailed circumstance in which it is
considered necessary to set-up a new joint enture/enter into new technology transfer
(including trade mark), and proof that the new proposal would not in any way jeopardize
the interest of the existing joint venture or technology/trade mark partner or other stake
holders.

While considering proposals the following may be prioritised.

• Items/activities covered under automotive route (i.e. those, which do not qualify under
automatic route).
• Items falling in infrastructure sector.
• Items which have an export potential
• Items which have large scale employment potential and especially for rural people.
• Items, which have a direct or backward linkage with agro business/farm sector.
• Item which have greater social relevance such as hospitals, human resource development,
life saving drugs and equipment.
• Proposals, which result in induction of technology or infusion of capital.

The following should be especially considered during the scrutiny and consideration of
proposals:

• The extent of foreign equity proposed to be held (keeping in view sectoral caps if any -
e.g. 24% for SSI units, 40% for air taxi/airlines operators, 49% in basic/cellular/paging in
Telecom sector etc).
• Extent of equity with composition of foreign/NRI (which may include OCB)/resident
Indians.
• Extent of equity from the point of view whether the proposed project would amount to a
holding company/wholly owned subsidiary/a company with dominant foreign investment
(i.e. 75% or more) joint venture.
• Whether the proposed foreign equity is for setting up a new project (joint venture or
otherwise) or whether it is for enlargement of foreign/NRI equity or whether it is for fresh
induction of foreign equity/NRI equity in an existing Indian company.
• In the case of fresh induction of foreign/NRI equity and/or cases of enlargement of
foreign/ NRI equity in existing Indian companies whether there is a resolution of the
Board of Directors supporting the said induction/ enlargement of foreign/NRI equity and
whether there is a shareholders agreement or not.
• In the case of induction of fresh equity in the existing Indian companies and/or
enlargement of foreign equity in existing Indian companies, the reason why the proposal
has been made and the modality for induction/ enhancement [i.e. whether by increase of
paid up capital/authorised capital, transfer of shares (hostile or otherwise) whether by
rights issue, or by what modality].

Cases pertaining to FIPB approvals, which involve increase in the non-resident equity
within the approved percentage of non-resident equity in a joint venture company and
enhancement of paid-up capital in a wholly owned subsidiary do not require FIPB
approval provided the intent for increase in the amount of foreign equity is duly notified
to SIA and formal documentation by way of intimation is made to SIA within 30 days of
receipt of funds and allotment of shares (to non-resident shareholders).
• Issue/transfer/pricing of shares will be as per SEBI/RBI guidelines.
• Whether the activity is an industrial or a service activity or a combination of both.
• Whether the item of activity involves any restriction by way of reservation for the small
scale sector.
• Whether there are any sectoral restrictions on the activity (e.g. there is ban on foreign
investment in real estate while it is not so for NRI investment).
• Whether the item involves only trading activity and if so whether it involves export or
both export and import, or also includes domestic trading and if domestic trading whether
it also includes retail trading.
• Whether the proposal involves import of items which are either hazardous, banned or
detrimental to environment (e.g. import of plastic scrap or recycled plastics).
 In respect of activities to which equity caps apply, FIPB may consider recommending
higher levels of foreign equity as compared to the prescribed caps, keeping in view the
special requirements and merits of each case.

 In respect of other industries/activities the Board may consider recommending 51 per

cent foreign equity on examination of each individual proposal. For higher levels of
equity up to 74 per cent the Board may consider such proposals keeping in view
considerations such as the extent of capital needed for the project, the nature and quality
of technology, the requirements of marketing and management skills and the commitment
for exports.

 FIPB may consider recommending proposals for 100 percent foreign owned
holding/subsidiary companies based on the following criteria:

• where only "holding" operation is involved all subsequent/downstream investments to be

carried out would require prior approval of the Government;
• where proprietary technology is sought to be protected or sophisticated technology is
proposed to be brought in;
• where at least 50% of production is to be exported;
• proposals for consultancy; and
• proposals for industrial model towns/industrial parks or estates.
 In special cases, where the foreign investor is unable initially to identify an Indian joint
venture partner, the Board may consider and recommend proposals permitting 100 per
cent foreign equity on a temporary basis on the condition that the foreign investor would
divest to the Indian parties (either individual, joint venture partners or general public or
both) at least 26 per cent of its equity within a period of 3-5 years.

 Similarly in the case of a joint venture, where the Indian partner is unable to raise
resources for expansion/ technological upgradation of the existing industrial activity the
Board may consider and recommend increase in the proportion/percentage (up to 100 per
cent) of the foreign equity in the enterprise.

 In respect of trading companies, 100 per cent foreign equity may be permitted in the case
of the activities involving the following:

• exports;
• bulk imports with ex-port/ex-bonded warehouse sales;
• cash and carry wholesale trading;
• other import of goods or services provided at least 75% is for procurement and sale of
goods and services among the companies of the same group.
 In respect of the companies in the infrastructure/services sector where there is a
prescribed cap for foreign investment, only the direct investment should be considered
for the prescribed cap and foreign investment in an investing company should not be set
 off against this cap provided the foreign direct investment in such investing company
does not exceed 49 per cent and the management of the investing company is with the
Indian owners.

 No condition specific to the letter of approval issued to a foreign investor would be

changed or additional condition imposed subsequent to the issue of a letter of approval.
This would not prohibit changes in general policies and regulations applicable to the
industrial sector.

 Where in case of a proposal (not being 100% subsidiary) foreign direct investment has
been approved up to a designated percentage of foreign equity in the joint venture
company the percentage would not be reduced while permitting induction of additional
capital subsequently. Also in the case of approved activities, if the foreign investor(s)
concerned wished to bring in additional capital on later dates keeping the investment to
such approved activities, FIPB would recommend such cases for approval on an
automatic basis.

 As regards proposal for private sector banks, the application would be considered only
after "in principle" permission is obtained from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

 The restrictions prescribed for proposals in various sectors as obtained, at present, are given
in the annexure - IV and these should be kept in view while considering the proposals.