WebinarsNew
Deep DiveNew
Explore Business Standard
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), reduction in import tariffs and improvement in business environment would encourage higher net foreign capital inflows into India, which have moderated in recent years, ADB Chief Economist Albert Park has said. During 2021-22, India attracted net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of USD 38.6 billion, which came down to USD 28 billion in FY23 and further fell to USD 10.2 billion in FY24. Net FDI -- inflow minus outflow -- came down significantly to single digit to USD 1 billion in FY25 but improved to USD 3 billion during the April-December period of FY26. The government should continue reducing import tariffs to ensure foreign investments remain competitive, he told PTI in an interview. It also needs to strengthen the overall manufacturing ecosystem by developing industrial zones with robust infrastructure and integrated facilities, making them easier for foreign firms to address their business needs efficiently in one place, he said, adding that free tr
The government may hike the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the pension sector to up to 100 per cent and a Bill in this regard is expected in the next Parliament session, according to sources. This would align with the insurance sector where up to 100 per cent FDI is permitted. Last year, Parliament approved a Bill to increase the FDI limit in the insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent. Prior amendments of the Insurance Act, 1938 was done in 2015 following which the FDI ceiling increased from 49 per cent to 74 per cent. Amendment to Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Act, 2013 seeking to raise the FDI limit in the pension sector may come in the Monsoon Session or Winter Session depending on various approvals, sources said. Currently, the FDI in pension fund is capped at 49 per cent. Besides, sources said the amendment Bill may contain separation of NPS Trust from the PFRDA. The powers, functions and duties of the NPS Trust, which are ...
India is working to create an indigenous Virtual Asset Lab for detection of unregistered, high-risk offshore virtual asset service providers (oVASPs) by using analytics and web surveillance tools. A Financial Action Task Force (FATF) report, titled 'Understanding and mitigating the risks of offshore virtual asset service providers', gave case studies of India and other countries on how oVASPS are being used for money laundering and supervision being done by the nations. According to the FATF report, some jurisdictions have established structured cooperation with internet service providers, app-store operators and online platforms to disrupt unauthorised oVASPs activity. Giving a case study from India, the FATF report said that FIU-India, along with the Home Ministry, has directed intermediaries (social media platforms, web hosts, internet service providers) to take down website content. "So far, 85 URLs pertaining to unregistered non-compliant oVASPs have been taken down," it ...
The government on Tuesday eased norms for foreign direct investment from all countries, including China, that share land borders with India, sources said. They said press note 3 of 2020 has been amended in this regard. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under this press note, foreign companies having shareholders from these countries required mandatory government approval for investments in India in any sector. Countries that share land borders with India are China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. China stands at the 23rd position with only 0.32 per cent share (USD 2.51 billion) in the total FDI equity inflow reported in India from April 2000 to December 2025. Ties between the two countries nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. Following these tensions, India banne
The FDI inflows to India in 2025 surged by 73 per cent to USD 47 billion, mainly due to large investments in services and manufacturing, supported by policies aimed at integrating the country into global supply chains, the UN said. The Global Investment Trends Monitor, released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated on Thursday that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to China declined for the third consecutive year, falling by 8 per cent to an estimated USD 107.5 billion. "FDI inflows to India surged by 73 per cent to USD 47 billion, mainly due to large investments in services including finance, IT, and R&D as well as manufacturing, supported by policies aimed at integrating India into global supply chains," UNCTAD said. It added that global foreign direct investment reached an estimated USD 1.6 trillion in 2025, a 14 per cent increase. However, a significant part of the increase was due to higher flows through several major global ...
The Commerce and Industry Ministry has floated a note seeking views from various central government departments on a proposal to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the inventory-based model of e-commerce solely for export purposes, an official said. The proposal aims to boost India's exports without impacting the businesses of small retailers. At present, the country's FDI policy does not permit overseas investments in the inventory-based model of e-commerce. It is 100 per cent allowed through the automatic route in firms that are operating through a marketplace model only, like Amazon and Flipkart. The proposal is to permit e-commerce entities in the inventory-based model of e-commerce, exclusively for the export of goods and products manufactured or produced in India, in compliance with the existing FDI policy, the official said. According to the FDI policy, the inventory-based model of e-commerce means an e-commerce activity where the inventory of goods and services is own