Improving global sentiment and a growing conducive environment in India are increasingly facilitating foreign investors’ role in the country currently. Several other factors being attributed to the revival in foreign direct investments (FDI) in the country include liberal investment policies and reforms, innovative and technologically advanced products being manufactured in India and low cost and effective solutions.
India has been ranked at the third place in global foreign direct investments this year, following the economic meltdown, and will continue to remain among the top five attractive destinations for international investors during the next two years, according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in a new report on world investment prospects titled, ‘World Investment Prospects Survey 2009-2011’.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to India was US$ 3.5 billion in July, 56 per cent higher than US$ 2.25 billion in the same month a year ago.
The Government on September 8, 2009, approved nine FDI proposals amounting to about US$ 15.39 million, including High Mark Credit Information Services, whose FDI proposal is worth US$ 4.74 million.
The Indian retail market, which is the fifth largest retail destination globally, has been ranked the most attractive emerging market for investment in the retail sector by A T Kearney`s annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), in 2009. A recent Ernst & Young study predicts Mumbai and Bangalore to be the next global centres of investment along with Shanghai.
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, while inaugurating the crude flow from the Rajasthan oil fields of Cairn India-ONGC in Barmer, said, "Cairn`s efforts show that there is a good climate for bringing foreign investment into India and I invite entrepreneurs to invest in India."
• The Cairn-ONGC consortium
• German luxury car manufacturer, Audi, is eyeing higher sales this year than its earlier target
• Italian carmaker, Fiat, will source more than US$ 1 billion worth components for its global businesses in 2010 from India.
• Accor Hospitality has said it will invest US$ 130 million to come up with 50 hotels in India by 2012.
• HealthHiway, an initiative by the Apollo Hospitals Group providing software solutions for the healthcare sector
• The German carmaker, Volkswagen, has decided to invest US$ 453.66 million more towards expansion at its Chakan plant.
• South Korean steel giant, Posco, plans to set up a galvanising plant at an investment of US$ 907.32 million in Raigad district of Maharashtra.
• PepsiCo is doubling its investment in its Indian beverage business for calendar 2009 to over US$ 220 million to increase the capacity of the business.
• Mexican cinema chain, Cinépolis, will invest around US$ 163.1 million in south India for setting up multiplexes across the four states. The company has lined up US$ 346.57 million for its proposed expansion plan in the country.
The Road Ahead
With the government planning more liberalisation measures across a broad range of sectors and continued investor interest, the inflow of FDI into India is likely to further accelerate.
The Government on September 8, 2009, approved nine FDI proposals amounting to about US$ 15.39 million, including High Mark Credit Information Services, whose FDI proposal is worth US$ 4.74 million.
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OMG, 9 different FDI totalling 15 million dollars. The GOI is wastig time/efforts on peanuts like this.
| NIFTY 
