Outward FDI from India and its policy context

Abstract

India is now the world’s 21st largest outward investor, which is significant given its historically miniscule foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows. Annual FDI outflows have jumped fifty-fold after 2000, and Indian firms have invested over US$ 75 billion overseas in the past decade, in some cases to attain global status by acquiring world-leading firms. Substantial improvements in the country’s economic performance and the competitiveness of its firms and their strategy, resulting from ongoing liberalization in economic and outward FDI (OFDI) policies, made these developments possible. Indian firms now invest across a wide variety of sectors and countries, departing from their historical focus on trading and textile investments in developing countries. Following the 25% crisis-induced drop in Indian OFDI in 2009, Indian firms are once again increasing their overseas investment, including through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). India’s OFDI should continue its rapid upward trend over the next few years, as more companies seek to transfer their products and service innovations to new markets, and acquire strategic international know-how and market shares, particularly in crisis-hit developed economies.