Indian direct investment in JV/WOS abroad  

 

·                    Overseas Investment Policy

·                    Routes for overseas investment

 

·                    Streamlining of the overseas investment policy

 

·                    Overseas investment approvals

·                     Actual outflows

 

·                    Inflows from JV/WOS

 

·                    Sector-wise, country-wise etc. classification of overseas investment

 

·                    Annexure-1  -  Statement of  approved  overseas investments

 

·                    Annexure-2 -  Actual investment outflow  

 

·                     Annexure-3  - Inflows from JV/WOS  

·                     Annexure-4-  Sector-wise break-up of overseas investment approvals

 

·                    Annexure-5- Classification of approved overseas investments by Economic Regions

 

·                    Annexure-6-  Country-wise classification of approved overseas investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


                                               

Indian Direct Investment in JVs/WOS Abroad  

(Updated on 1st January 2005 )

 

1.       Overseas investment policy

 

Liberalisation of the policy on Indian investment overseas was first undertaken in 1992 on the recommendations of the Kalyan Banerjee Committee. Further liberalisation, and streamlining of procedures, was undertaken in 1995 when revised guidelines were notified. Since then the policy has been consistently liberalised from time to time. RBI was designated as the nodal agency for administering the policy, which had earlier been entrusted to the Ministry of Commerce. The basic rationale for opening up the regime of Indian investments overseas has been the need to provide Indian industry access to new markets and technologies with a view to increasing their competitiveness globally and help the country’s export efforts. 

 

2.     Routes for overseas investment

 

The liberalised policy provides for the following routes :

(i) Automatic Route : Indian corporates/Registered partnership firms have been allowed to invest in entities abroad upto 100% of their net worth in a year, without prior approval of Reserve Bank or Government of India. The investment can be funded out of balances held in Exchange Earners Foreign Currency Account (EEFC) of the Indian company or 100% ADR/GDR proceeds or by drawing foreign exchanges from an authorized dealer in India up to 100% of the net worth of the Indian company. Such investments would be reported post facto to the Reserve Bank. 

(ii) ADR/GDR Automatic Route : In terms of this scheme , Indian companies can freely utilise up to 100% of ADR/GDR proceeds for overseas investments without any limit under the automatic route subject to post facto report to the Reserve Bank. (Refer RBI Notification No. FEMA.40/2002-RB dated March 2, 2001 in partial modification of notification No. FEMA 19/2000-RB dated 3rd May 2000 on RBI website www.rbi.org.in).

(iii) ADR/GDR automatic stock/ swap route : Under this route Indian companies can automatically swap their fresh issue of ADRs/GDRs for overseas acquisitions in the same core activity subject to post facto report to RBI. (Refer RBI Notification No. FEMA 19/2000-RB dated 3rd May 2000 as amended by Notification No. FEMA 40/2001-RB dated March 2, 2001). 

(iv) Normal Route : Proposals not covered under the above automatic routes are considered by the Special Committee on Overseas investments headed by the Deputy Governor, RBI with member representatives from Ministries of Finance, Commerce, External Affairs and the Reserve Bank. RBI is the secretariat for this Committee. The application for direct investment in joint venture/ wholly owned subsidiary outside India or by way of exchange of shares of a foreign company, shall be made in form ODI or in form ODB respectively, to RBI, Exchange Control Department., Central Office, Mumbai – 400 001.

 

3.     Streamlining of the overseas investment policy

 

The policy for Indian direct investment abroad has been substantially liberalized over the past three years. During the fiscal year 2003-04, the policy has been further streamlined as follows : 

(i) Corporates - Listed Indian companies are permitted to invest abroad in companies, (a) listed on a recognized stock exchange and (b) which has the shareholding of at least 10% in an Indian company listed on a recognized stock exchange in India (as on 1st January of the year of the investment). Such investments shall not exceed 25% of the Indian company’s net worth, as on the date of latest audited balance sheet.

(ii) Individuals - Resident individuals are permitted to invest in overseas companies indicated as (i) above without any monetary limit. 

(iii) Mutual Funds have also been permitted to invest in equity of overseas companies indicated at (i) above.

(iv) Indian corporates/Registered partnership firms are allowed to investment in entities abroad up to 100% of their net worth and the existing monetary ceiling of US$ 100 million (US$ 10 million for partnership firms ) removed. 

(v) Indian corporates/Registered partnership firms are allowed to undertake agricultural activities either directly or through an overseas branch.

(vi) Investments in JV/WOS abroad through the medium of a Special Purpose Vehicle permitted under the automatic route.

(vii) Investments in JV/WOS abroad by way of share swap permitted under the automatic route.

(viii) The stipulation of minimum net worth of Rs.15 crores for Indian companies engaged in financial sector activities in India removed for investment abroad in the financial sector. 

(ix) The requirement of prior approval of RBI dispensed with for diversification of activity/ stepdown investment by JV/WOS established by an Indian party.

(x) Prior permission of RBI dispensed with for transfer by way of sale of shares of a JV/WOS abroad. 

(xi) Indian companies permitted to make overseas investments in foreign entity engaged in any bonafide business activity.

(xii) The overall annual ceiling on overseas investment by Indian corporates/ Registered partnership firms in JV/WOS abroad removed with effect from the financial year 2003-04.

 

4.          Overseas investment approvals/ actual outflows/ inflows from   JVs/WOSs

 

(i)    Overseas investment approvals

 

Between April 1996 and March 2004, approved overseas investments have increased by about 160.6% to US$ 1450.56 million. In the current financial year 2004-05, during the period April 04-September 04, 557 approvals were granted to Indian companies for overseas investments worth US$ 567.45 million as compared to 587 approvals worth US$ 546.29 million approved in the corresponding period of last year. 

Trends of approved Indian investment abroad and actual outflows over the last eight years is at 
Annexure 1.

 

 (ii)      Actual Outflows

  Actual ODI outflows rose from US$ 204 million in 1996-97 to US$ 1710 million in 2002-03. In 2003-04, there is a decline in outflows to US$ 1483.70 million . 

In the current financial year 2004-05, during the period of April 04- September 04, actual outflows on account of overseas investment was US$ 638.78 million as compared to US$ 536.66 million in the corresponding period of last year. The trend of ODI outflows over the last five years is shown in the statement a
Annexure-2.

 

   

(iii)                Inflows from JVs/WOSs

 

Foreign exchange inflows from Indian overseas investments in joint ventures and wholly owned subsidiaries have been steadily rising. While inflows rose from US$ 49 million in 1999-2000 to US$ 51 million in 2000-01, there was more than five-fold increase in 2001-02 when the inflows aggregated US$ 279 million. Thereafter the inflows have declined to US$ 102 million in 2002-03 and rose to US$ 295.05 million in 2003-04. 

The returns during the period of April 04- September 2004 on account of repatriation of dividend etc. from overseas JV/WOS was US$ 43.25 million and non equity exports was Rs.262.96 crores as against US$ 74.99 million and Rs. 231.25 crores in the corresponding period of previous year.

 

A statement showing trend of Actual outflows/ inflows and non-equity exports over the last five years is at Annexure 3.

 

6.          

Sector-wise,  Country-wise etc. outgoing investments

 

(i)  A Sector-wise break up of approvals of  overseas investments is at Annexure 4.  IIn the current financial year 2004-05 (April 04-September 04), India’s outgoing investments was largest in the field of manufacturing at US$ 341.40 million followed by non-financial services (including software development) at US$ 118.90 million, Others at US$ 69.34 million and Trading Sector at US$ 34.42 million .

 

 (ii)  Regionwise, A Statement showing regional break-up of overseas investments approved is at Annexure 5.  IIn the current financial year 2004-05, during the period April 04-September 04, Economic & Social Commission for Asia & Pacific region accounted for major share of India’s overseas investment at US$ 240.19 million followed by North American region at US$ 147.29 million and European Common Market at US$ 64.29 million respectively.

During the year 2003-04, Economic & Social Commission for Asia & Pacific Region accounted for major share of India’s overseas investment approvals at US$ 290.28 million followed by European Union Region at US$ 285.24 million and North American Region at US$ 207.81 million.

     

(iii) Countrywise : During the period April 04 - Septembr 04, USA attracted highest Indian direct investments (US$ 147.13 mn) followed by Australia (US$ 123.73 mn), Hongkong (US$ 53.08 mn) and Kazakistan (US$ 39.05 mn)

In the year 2003-04, USA attracted highest approvals of Indian direct investments (US$ 207.14 million) followed by Mauritius (US$ 175.59 million) and Sudan (US$ 162.02 million). 

 

A country-wise break up of overseas investments approved in the last seven years is at Annexure 6  

 

                                                                                 Annexure 1

 

APPROVED OVERSEAS INVESTMENTS AND

 ACTUAL OUTFLOWS


                                                                                                                 (Amount in USD million)

Period

No. of  approvals    

Equity

Loan

Guaran-

tee

Total     

 Annual Cap

Actual outflow

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

 1996-97

 290

363.73

37.76

155.12

556.61

500

204.99

 

 1997-98

 228

482.01

8.34

135.52

625.87

750

120.77

 

 1998-99

275

144.98

18.48

  86.21

249.67

750

142.83

 

 1999-00

395

1298.93

50.44

407.64

1757.01

@

750

 271.14

 

 2000-01

714

1176.83

89.84

113.43

1380.10

@

1000

1211.85

 

 2001-02

906

2712.46

 

157.21

155.86

3025.53

#

1000

974.89

 

 2002-03

 

1029

1233.29

96.33

140.69

1470.31

#

1000

1710.08

 

 2003-04

 

1229

812.40

224.32

413.84

1450.56

Annual Ceil

ing removed w.e.f. 1.4.2003

1483.70 *

 

 2004-05 (April – Sept.  04)

 

557

283.22

83.00

201.23

567.45

     ----

638.78  **

 

@   The approved investments for the purpose of ceiling for the year 1999-2000 and 2000-01 is US$ 726.95million  and US$ 738.85 million respectively after excluding ADR/GDR utilisation and large remittances by ONGC.

 

#     Annual ceiling of overseas investments is to be reckoned with reference to actual outflows w.e.f. 2001-02.

 

*      Includes ONGC remittances – US$ 482.24 million .

 

**    Includes ONGC remittances of US$ 383.26 million.


 

 

Annexure 2

 

 

Actual investment outflows  

                                                                                                                                                                          US$/million

Financial year

Equity

Loan

Invoked guarantee

Total

 

1999-2000

314.31

3.93

0.40

318.64

 

2000-2001

1138.32

68.55

4.98

1211.85

 

2001-2002

850.36

121.11

3.42

974.89

 

2002-2003

1683.77

99.08

--

1782.85

 

2003-2004

 

1229.33

 

254.37

 

--

 

1483.70*

 

2004-05 (April 04 –

 September   04)

 

557.29

(441.12)

59.46

(95.54)

---

(---)

616.75 #

(536.66)

 

Note – Figures in brackets represent the amount for the corresponding period in the previous year.

 

 

 

*  Includes ADR/GDR  issues of US$ 0.24 mn and remittance by ONGC of US $   482.24  mn

 

# Excludes remittance of US$ 22.03 mn made under automatic route not taken into the system.
 

 

 

 

Annexure -  3

 
 
 
Inflows from JVs/WOSs

 

                                                                   US$ million   

Financial year

Dividend

Others (Tech.know-how, royalty, Engg.  fees, consultancy etc.)

Total

@

Non-equity exports

(Rs. in crs)

1999-2000

17.63

31.56

 

49.19

    555.30

 

2000-2001

 

12.50

38.93

51.43

1325.80

 

2001-2002

 

36.31

242.97

279.28

   1889.68

2002-2003

33.60

68.66

102.26

   1007.07

 

2003-04

 

18.27

 

276.78

 

295.05

 

384.87

 

2004-05  ( April 04-

September  04 )

 

9.73

(4.70)

33.52

(70.29)

43.25

(74.99)

262.96

(231.25)

 

Note – Figures in brackets represent the amount for the corresponding period in the previous year.

 

 

@ Figures are provisional and are updated on receipt of ODRs/APRs by RBI.

 

 

 

 

 


 Annexure 4

 

Sectorwise approved overseas investments  from April 1999 to September 2004

 

                                                                                     (Amount in US$/million)

Year

Manufa

cturing

Financial services

Non financial services

Trading

Others

Total

1999-00

535.84

4.26

1130.74

58.31

2.30

1731.45

 

2000-01

370.74

16.61

876.53

89.17

29.14

1382.19

 

2001-02

2210.90

48.62

565.49

139.18

61.34

3025.53

 

2002-03

1056.74

1.82

280.17

69.88

61.69

1470.31

 

2003-04

 

765.64

35.11

438.79

76.94

134.08

1450.56

 

2004-05

(April 04 –Sept.  04)

341.40

3.39

118.90

34.42

69.34

567.45

 

Total

 

5281.26

(54.8%)

 

 

109.81

(1.14%)

 

 

3410.62

(35.4%)

 

467.90

(4.86%)

 

357.89

(3.7%)

 

 

9627.49

 

 

Sectorwise break-up of approvals for the current year 2004-05

(April 04 – September 04)

 

Line of activity

Equity/ Cash

Loan

Guarantee

Total

 

% of total

Manufacturing

160.976

40.065

140.362

341.403

60.16

 

Non Financial Services

80.900

26.149

11.852

118.901

20.96

 

Financial Services

3.393

---

---

3.393

0.59

 

Trading

19.464

13.686

1.271

34.421

6.06

 

Others

18.488

3.100

47.759

69.338

12.22

 

Grand Total

283.221

83.00

201.234

567.455

100

 

 

Grand Total  - US$ 567.455 million



Annexure   5

 

Regionwise approved overseas investments during 2004-05

April  04 – September 04

 

Amount in US$ million

Name of the Region

No. of approvals

Equity

Loan

Guarant

ee

  Total 

%

 

Common Wealth of Independent states

7

0.966

0.240

39.050

40.256

7.09

 

East African Community

4

0.384

0.091

---

0.473

0.08

 

East European Countries

2

0.346

0.000

0.500

0.846

0.15

 

Economic Commission for West Asia

48

9.165

1.382

1.374

11.921

2.1

 

European Common Market

92

43.629

20.664

---

64.293

11.33

 

European Free Trade Area

7

1.218

0.467

---

1.685

0.29

 

Economic & Social Com-

mission for Asia & Pacific

157

82.658

18.634

138.899

240.191

42.33

 

North America

166

119.681

17.445

10.166

147.292

25.95

 

Organisation of African Unity

10

1.405

1.066

5.000

7.471

1.31

 

Organisation Commune Africine El Malagache

30

12.145

16.922

---

29.067

5.12

 

Other Asian & Oceanian & Antartic & Artic Countries

2

1.541

0.500

--

2.041

0.36

 

Other Central American & Carribean countries

4

0.176

2.300

6.246

8.722

1.54

 

Other African countries

11

3.212

0.922

--

4.134

0.73

 

Other European countries

3

0.350

0.817

--

1.167

0.2

 

South America

14

6.349

1.550

---

7.899

1.39

 

Total

 

557

283.221

83.000

201.234

567.455

99.9

 

                       
   
                                                                                                                                                 Total – US$  567.45  million

 

 

 

 


                                                                                                                                                           
Annexure  6

 

COUNTRY-WISE  APPROVED INDIAN DIRECT INVESTMENTS

 

 

(Amount US$ million)

S.No

Name of the country

1996 to 2000

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

 

2003-04

 

2004-05  (April  04- Sept.  04)

Total

1.

Algeria

--

--

--

--

0.54

0.004

0.544

2

Australia

2.61

2.47

1.91

94.97

92.87

123.726

318.556

3

Austria

26.28

0.50

50.86

---

---

 

77.64

4

Argentina

0.30

----

--

---

---

 

0.3

5

Azerbaijan

0.01

----

--

---

---

 

0.01

6

Bangladesh

13.45

0.37

1.13

1.18

4.08

0.509

20.719

7

Bahmas

0.01

-----

--

---

0.02

 

0.03

8

Bahrain

8.56

1.30

1.50

1.16

---

 

12.52

9

Belgium

4.35

0.39

0.41

0.30

9.19

0.043

14.680

10

British Virgin Island

752.08

18.01

6.44

3.27

4.92

6.436

791.156

11

Belize

0.36

----

--

---

---

 

0.36

12

Bermuda

156.90

0.70

75.03

28.95

142.46

6.246

410.286

13

Botswana

0.23

1.02

2.21

---

0.05

 

3.51

14

Brazil

2.54

5.38

5.06

5.17

4.95

6.499

29.599

15

Burkino Faso

--

--

--

--

--

0.047

0.047

16

Channel Island

11.14

1.50

1.00

0.49

---

 

14.13

17

Cameroon

--

--

--

0.02

---

 

0.02

18

Canada

3.00

0.93

1.65

2.34

0.66

0.009

8.589

19

Cayman Island

11.03

---

0.60

---

---

0.005

11.635

20

Colombia

16.23

----

--

---

---

 

16.23

21

China

17.08

7.94

13.33

29.55

26.59

8.464

102.954

22

Cyprus

1.85

---

 

---

0.03

0.350

2.230

23

Czech Republic

--

--

--

--

0.01

0.346

0.356

24

Denmark

--

0.01

---

---

---

0.124

0.134

25

Egypt

5.13

3.36

---

0.01

---

3.066

11..566

26

Ethiopia

--

0.54

--

0.57

0.22

0.118

1.448

27

France

2.61

1.80

0.66

1.83

84.37

4.639

95.909

28

Finland

2.40

----

--

---

---

0.025

2.425

29

Germany

6.62

3.49

1.71

4.92

18.24

4.998

39.978

30

Ghana

--

---

0.03

0.33

0.01

 

0.37

31

Greece

--

---

0.05

---

---

 

0.05

32

Hongkong

391.41

37.64

16.07

14.80

16.15

53.088

529.158

33

Hungary

0.41

0.17

4.82

---

1.89

 

7.29

34

Indonesia

7.81

----

12.38

0.12

19.28

19.450

59.040

35

Iraq

--

--

5.00

---

---

 

5.00

36