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Foreign Direct Investment: Sector Wise FDI Limit, Country Wise FDI Inflow, and FDI Inflow in India

A foreign direct investment (FDI) is a financial investment made by a foreign investor in a firm headquartered in another country. Green Field Investment (a new company is founded in a foreign country) or Portfolio Investment (a company is formed in a foreign country) are also the 2 primary kinds of FDI. There must be two routes to acquire investment permission in India: the automatic method or the RBI method, or the government path (also known as the FIPB route). The automatic route to FDI does not require previous approval from the Indian government or even the Reserve Bank of India. The only requirement for investors is to inform and register documentation with the appropriate RBI office. Let’s discuss more countries with the highest FDI in detail. 

Countries With Highest FDI

As per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the country received the greatest annual foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow of $81.97 billion (provisional figure) within 2020-21. FDI inflows totalled $440.27 billion within the last seven financial years (2014-21), accounting for roughly 58% of overall FDI inflows in the last 21 financial years (2000-2021: $763.83 billion).

Singapore (28%) is the top country from which FDI equity inflows are obtained between April 2014 through August 2021, followed by the United States (22%), Mauritius (10%), and the Netherlands (8%), then Japan (six percent).

The India Industrial Land Bank (IILB), the Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS), the National Single Window System (NSWS), the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), and even the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) have all been implemented to facilitate investment options.

E-commerce Activities

The equity/FDI cap on e-commerce activity is set at 100 percent through all the automatic routes within India’s FDI policy. E-commerce startups or entities, on the other hand, must focus on Business to Business (B2-B) e-commerce rather than Business to Consumer (B2C) e-commerce. For the marketplace model of e-commerce operations, the FDI Policy enables 100 percent FDI through the automatic route. FDI is not allowed in the inventory-based model of e-commerce activities, either. The marketplace-based e-commerce model entails an e-commerce startup and company that provides an information technology platform on even a digital and electronic network, functioning as a mediator between the buyer and the vendor.

Foreign Direct Investment in E-Commerce Regulations

For the trading market concept of e-commerce, the FDI policy authorises e-commerce activities through the automatic route with a 100 percent equity/FDI cap, subject to statutory circumstances:

  • In the e-commerce business, digital and electronic networks have included a network of television channels, computers, and any web technologies used in an automated way, like extranets, web pages, mobile phones, etc.

  • On a B2B level, platform e-commerce businesses can trade with sellers who have joined their portal.

  • Sellers can now get help from an e-commerce marketplace with logistics, warehousing, money collection, call centre, order fulfilment, and other services.

  • The services/goods available for sale electronically here on the marketplace-oriented model’s website should display the sellers’ names, addresses, and other contact details. Just after goods/products have been sold, the seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the clients and ensuring their fulfilment.

  • E-commerce businesses can also provide payments for sales following Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms in the marketplace model.

  • The sellers are responsible for any guarantee/warranty of services and goods offered in the marketplace system.

  • The e-commerce businesses that provide a marketplace must not affect the sale price of goods and services, and they should preserve a fair playing field.

FDI Inflows in India

In 2021, overall foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to India decreased by 15% to $74.01 billion, down from $87.55 billion in the previous year. FDI inflows comprise equity inflows, unorganised body equity capital, reinvested earnings, and other capital. FDI inflow in India is generally a result of commercial business decisions. This is influenced by various aspects, including natural resource availability, market size, infrastructure, political and general investment climate, macroeconomic stability, and foreign investor investment plans.

Conclusion

An investment as a kind of substantial ownership in either a business through one country by an entity based in another country is known as a foreign direct investment (FDI). A sense of direct control distinguishes this from foreign portfolio investment. The source of the investment has no bearing on its status as an FDI: it might be obtained “inorganically” by purchasing a firm in the target country or “organically” by extending the activities of an established business in that nation. Now you have all the necessary information regarding countries with the highest FDI.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the BANK Examination Preparation.

Which countries have the highest FDI?

Ans. The United States of America In 2019, the United States overtook Japan, Germany, and even the Netherlands countries with the highest FD...Read full

What is the significance of FDI inflow?

Ans. FDI enables technology transfer that cannot be achieved by financial investments and trade in products and serv...Read full

Which country invests the most in Singapore?

Ans. The United States, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and the Netherlands are the top investors in...Read full

Explain foreign direct investment (FDI).

Ans. Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships are examples of foreign direct investments in retail, services, logisti...Read full