The main sectors that receive the maximum foreign inflows include services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading, construction, automobile, and power.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for amendments in the Insurance Act, paving way for 74 per cent foreign direct investment in the sector. Currently, the permissible FDI limit in the life and general insurance stands at 49 per cent with ownership and management control with Indian. According to sources, the Cabinet in its meeting has approval for amendments in the Insurance Act, 1938.
China which recently emerged as the world's second largest economy has now become the fifth biggest global investor even as Foreign Direct Investment into the country is set to cross $100 billion this year.
The much-talked-about sale of Ambuja Cement and ACC by Holcim Group will see the single-biggest outflow of foreign capital from the country if the two cement firms are acquired by Indian investors. The deal, valued at nearly $10.35 billion, will put in the shade Cairn Energy Plc's exit from India in 2010, when it sold Cairn India to Vedanta Group for $4.48 billion. According to various reports, big business groups such as AV Birla, JSW Group, and Adani Group are in the fray to acquire Holcim's assets in India.
At present, the FDI limit for FM radio companies is 20 per cent. A senior Trai official has indicated that it could recommend an increase between 26 and 74 per cent.
About 281 cases have been taken up for investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement regarding suspected violations of foreign direct investment (FDI) norms all over the country during April 2019 to March this year, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Necessary action as per provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) has been taken, which includes issuance of show cause notices, adjudication and imposition of penalty, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In these cases, following the due process of adjudication, penalties of more than Rs 2,600 crore have been imposed under the FEMA, he said, adding the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has done compounding of contraventions of FDI related FEMA provisions in total of 1,421 cases across the country during the last three years.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Monday approved the introduction of a new asset class, designed to offer greater flexibility to fund managers and target investors with a higher risk appetite. The markets regulator also cleared the liberalised Mutual Funds Lite (MF Lite) framework, aimed at fund houses that solely launch passively managed schemes. In another significant move, the board reduced the timeframe for rights issues from the current 317 working days to just 23.
The plan is to establish a consultative panel and appoint mediators to address various domestic issues, both at the central government and state levels.
The two ministers are believed to have discussed the issue of redefining foreign direct investment and foreign institutional investment to remove ambiguities.
India on Thursday unleashed a second wave of reforms deciding to open the pension sector to foreign investment and raising the foreign direct investment cap in insurance to 49 per cent, undeterred by opposition to its decisions on FDI in retail and threats to block these legislations.
'Assess the property in terms of type, size, location and price point, and whether it fits into your budget.' 'If it checks out on these fronts, one may consider the accompanying offers.'
In May 2010 the foreign direct investment was $2.21 billion.
The Railway Minister has announced that there is an urgency to attract FDI in Railway projects.
India's telecom sector, billed as one of the fastest growing markets globally this decade, has attracted foreign direct investment worth $1.05 billion in the past two years, the government said in a statement on Monday.
Foreign Direct Investment to Asia reached record heights in 2011, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2012.
The Group of Ministers on Foreign Direct Investment has recommended that the proposal to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment in scientific magazines and journals be placed before the Cabinet, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
In August 2011, the country had received foreign investment worth $2.83 billion.
The United Progressive Alliance government had opened the multi-brand retail sector for foreign investment and allowed up to 51 per cent foreign direct investment in the sector.
There has been a decent growth in FDI proposals and new announcements in India to attract foreign investment.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said the existing foreign trade policy (FTP) will be extended for six months till March 31 next year. The government had earlier extended the FTP 2015-20 until September 30 this year due to the Covid-19 crisis. The FTP provides guidelines for enhancing exports to push economic growth and create jobs.
The GAAR provision will apply to entities availing tax benefit of at least Rs 3 crore.
Foreign investment declined by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to $8.43 billion in September, ministry spokesman Shen Danyang told the media in Beijing.
China has approved the construction of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, close to the Indian border. The USD 137 billion project, which is expected to dwarf even China's own Three Gorges Dam, has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh, the downstream riparian states. Concerns in India are centered around China's potential to control water flow, potentially enabling the release of large amounts of water to flood border areas in times of hostilities. The dam is part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan, and the Chinese government claims that the project is safe and prioritizes ecological protection.
The Reserve Bank said overseas investors, including FPIs and NRIs, can invest up to 26 per cent in insurance and allied activities through the automatic route.
The government has exempted units of investment trusts and ETFs issued by entities based in GIFT City or traded in exchanges there from capital gains tax. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notified the exemption from capital gains tax any unit of investment trust; a unit of a scheme; and a unit of an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) launched under the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Fund Management) Regulations, 2022. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT)-IFSC is being promoted as a tax-neutral enclave for the financial sector.
The FDI in pension sector would move in tandem with the insurance sector, official sources said, adding that the revised norms would be incorporated in the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority Bill expected to be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming Budget session.
Prices may go up because of higher energy costs, caused by the rise in shipping charges, with commercial vessels taking a longer route to avoid the troubled Red Sea region, the finance ministry said on Monday. Iran-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen are repeatedly attacking ships in the Red Sea. While the global economy is grappling with challenges such as sticky inflation, sluggish growth, and mounting fiscal pressure, India's external sector could face "potential risks" due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions, according to the finance ministry's report on the review of the Indian economy.
The central government is on track to meet its fiscal deficit target of 6.4 per cent of the GDP for 2022-23 on the back of strong growth in revenue collections, the World Bank said in its India Development Update on Tuesday. High nominal GDP growth in the first quarter supported strong growth in revenue collection, especially Goods and Services Tax (GST), despite tax cuts on fuel. Notwithstanding an increase in spending due to expanded fertilizer subsidies and food subsidies for vulnerable households in response to the commodity price shock, the government is on track to meet its FY22/23 fiscal deficit target of 6.4 per cent of GDP and the general government deficit is projected to decline to 9.6 per cent from 10.3 per cent in FY21/22 and 13.3 per cent in FY20/21.
Do you have financial planning or income tax queries? Ask rediffGURU Anil Rego.
Sources say the Mark Zuckerberg-led company wants to ensure there are no issues in its investment in the subsidiary of Reliance Industries and has roped in one of the Big Four consultancy firms to advise it on how the new "beneficial ownership" norms would apply to the proposed investment in Jio.
.jpg)
The company, which sells luxury products, including brands like Cartier, Piaget, Panerai and Montblanc, has also sought few clarifications from the government on conditions for selling sub-brands from the same stores, according to sources.
The ministry of home affairs has received more than 20 proposals for foreign direct investment (FDI), including from China and Hong Kong, requiring security clearance between April and May. 'We are vetting some of these proposals which have come from various sectors. One of the applications is from a well known start-up,' an official said. 'We await inputs from Research and Analysis Wing, intelligence agencies, external affairs ministry, and embassies.'
He said the policy paralysis, which had gripped the country in recent months, was over, and India was back in business.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday sprung a surprise for the UPA-II and more so for Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who is championing the cause of Foreign Direct Investment, when it released a letter dated December 21, 2002, in which the prime minister had opposed FDI.
The growing decline of MTech applicants in Indian colleges is due to multiple factors, including outdated curricula, poor return on investment and lucrative non-engineering alternatives, say experts.
The outbound FDI is also expected to increase, resulting in net FDI inflow of $24 billion.
Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index is a regular survey of global executives conducted by AT Kearney, a global management consulting firm.
Equity investors will track the trading activity of foreign investors, global trends and ongoing earnings results for further cues, and benchmark indices may continue to witness consolidation in a holiday-shortened week amid the monthly derivatives expiry, analysts said. Markets fell sharply last week amid massive foreign capital outflows and dismal Q2 earnings so far. Weakness in the markets might continue in the near term amid cautiousness among investors ahead of the US presidential election early next month, an expert said.
The Reserve Bank on Thursday eased foreign direct investment (FDI) norms and allowed banks to provide guarantees on behalf of NRIs to acquire shares and debentures in Indian companies.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances