India behind only China in cornering EM inflows in CY20, shows data

India has cornered the biggest chunk of overseas investor flows into the emerging markets, after China, in CY20. FPI flows in India for the year stood at $22.6 billion, 58 per cent higher than that in 2019, with energy and financials absorbing the biggest share of flows. 

The flows were largely driven by easy liquidity sloshing across the globe which found its way into emerging markets. India-dedicated funds, however, have seen outflows to the tune of $9.1 billion in CY20, the EPFR data compiled by Kotak Institutional Equities shows. 

India also benefited from relatively low flows to China as global sentiment towards that country soured somewhat after the Covid outbreak. Yet, China managed to edge out India, with foreign flows to the tune of $104 billion, but 21 per cent lower than $132 billion it saw in 2019.