FDI flows to India slip 26% in 2021: UN report

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to India in 2021 had been 26 per cent decrease, primarily as a result of giant M&A offers recorded in 2020 weren’t repeated, the UN commerce physique has mentioned.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor printed on Wednesday mentioned world overseas direct funding flows confirmed a powerful rebound in 2021, rising 77 per cent to an estimated USD 1.65 trillion, from USD 929 billion in 2020, surpassing their pre-COVID-19 degree.
“Recovery of investment flows to developing countries is encouraging, but the stagnation of new investment in the least developed countries in industries important for productive capacities, and key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) sectors – such as electricity, food or health – is a major cause for concern,” mentioned UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan.
The report mentioned developed economies noticed the most important rise by far, with FDI reaching an estimated USD 777 billion in 2021 – thrice the exceptionally low degree in 2020.

FDI flows in creating economies elevated by 30 per cent to almost USD 870 billion, with a development acceleration in East and South-East Asia (+20 per cent), a restoration to close pre-pandemic ranges in Latin America and the Caribbean, and an uptick in West Asia.
FDI flows to South Asia decreased 24 per cent to USD 54 billion in 2021 from USD 71 billion in 2020.
FDI within the United States – the most important host financial system – elevated by 114 per cent to USD 323 billion, and cross-border M&As nearly tripled in worth to USD 285 billion.
“Flows to India were 26 per cent lower, mainly because large M&A deals recorded in 2020 were not repeated,” it mentioned.
China noticed a document USD 179 billion of inflows – a 20 per cent improve – pushed by robust providers FDI.
Of the whole improve in world FDI flows in 2021 (USD 718 billion), greater than USD 500 billion, or nearly three quarters, was recorded in developed economies. Developing economies, particularly least developed nations (LDCs), noticed extra modest restoration development, the report mentioned.
The World Investment Report by UNCTAD launched in June final yr had mentioned that amid the pandemic, India acquired USD 64 billion in overseas direct funding in 2020, the fifth-largest recipient of inflows on the earth.
FDI to India elevated 27 per cent to USD 64 billion in 2020 from USD 51 billion in 2019, pushed up by acquisitions within the data and communication expertise (ICT) business, the report had mentioned.
The report issued final yr had mentioned the pandemic boosted demand for digital infrastructure and providers globally. This had led to greater values of greenfield FDI undertaking bulletins, concentrating on the ICT business, rising by greater than 22 per cent to USD 81 billion.
The report had famous that the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in India weighed closely on the nation’s total financial actions.
Announced greenfield initiatives in India had contracted by 19 per cent to USD 24 billion, and the second wave in April 2021 affected financial actions, “which could lead to a larger contraction in 2021”, it had mentioned.
The newest Investment Trends Monitor mentioned investor confidence is powerful in infrastructure sectors, supported by beneficial long-term financing circumstances, restoration stimulus packages and abroad funding programmes.
In distinction, investor confidence within the business and world worth chains stays weak. Greenfield funding undertaking bulletins had been virtually flat, and the variety of new initiatives in world worth chains (GVCs)-intensive industries, similar to electronics, fell additional.
The report described the outlook for world FDI in 2022 as constructive however added that the 2021 rebound development charge is unlikely to be repeated.
The underlying pattern – internet of conduit flows, one-off transactions and intra-firm monetary flows – will stay comparatively muted, as in 2021. International undertaking finance in infrastructure sectors will proceed to offer development momentum, the report famous.
“New investment in manufacturing and GVCs remains at a low level, partly because the world has been in waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the escalation of geopolitical tensions,” mentioned James Zhan, director of funding and enterprise at UNCTAD.
“Besides, it takes time for new investment to take place. There is normally a time lag between economic recovery and the recovery of new investment in manufacturing and supply chains,” Zhan added.
The protracted length of the well being disaster with successive new waves of the pandemic continues to be a significant draw back danger.

The tempo of vaccinations, particularly in creating nations, in addition to the pace of implementation of infrastructure funding stimulus, stay essential components of uncertainty.
Other essential dangers, together with labour and provide chain bottlenecks, vitality costs and inflationary pressures may even have an effect on outcomes.