Investing in India

Investment Policy of Government of India
Foreign corporate and individual investment in India (as it relates to control or ownership of a company) has been categorised as under :

i) Automatic Route or Automatic Approval
This does not require any prior approval of any authority. For  purposes of record, data relating to the investment is to be filed with Reserve Bank of India (RBI)within 30 days. Sectors/activities where 100% foreign ownership is permitted or investments within prescribed sector caps and where automatic route is allowed, are included in this category. 

ii) FIPB  Route
Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) considers and approves investment proposals where the proposed shareholding is above the prescribed sector caps or where the activity belongs to the small list of sectors where FDI is either not allowed or where it is mandatory  that proposals be routed through FIPB. FIPB ensures single window  approval for investments and acts as a screening agency. FIPB decisions are normally received within 30 days . FIPB route is also applicable where there may be absence of stated policy or lack of policy clarity. 

Under the Government approval route, applications for FDI proposals, other than by Non-Resident Indians, and proposals for FDI in ‘Single Brand’ product retailing, are received in the Department of Economic Affairs, North Block, New Delhi. Proposals for FDI in ‘Single Brand’ product retailing and by NRIs are received in the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Udyog Bhavan, and New Delhi. Applications can be submitted either in the prescribed proforma FC-IL form, or on plain paper with a check list available on WWW.DIPP.GOV.IN

• Foreign investments in equity capital of an Indian company under the Portfolio Investment Scheme are not within the ambit of FDI policy and are governed by separate regulations of RBI /Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI). 

• Foreign investors intending to set up Branch /Liaison/Project Offices would also be governed by specific Regulations under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) which, inter alia, prescribe permissible activities and approvals required for such offices. These are available at the RBI website WWW.RBI.ORG.IN 

• FDI policy is reviewed on continued basis and changes in sectoral policy/sectoral equity cap are notified through Press Notes by the Secretariat for Industrial Assistance (SIA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP). All Press Notes are available at  WWW.DIPP.GOV.IN . FDI Policy is also notified by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999. 

Investment Facilitation Agencies
For a resume of agencies that can provide  information and other assistance for investing in India, click here . 

Investment Opportunities
For brief information and important links, click here .