New Delhi: Parliament was briefed on Tuesday that FDI inflows for the first half of FY 2025‑26 reached $50.36 billion, up 16 % from the same period a year earlier and the highest figure ever for a first‑half of a fiscal year.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada told the Lok Sabha that overall FDI has grown from just over $34 billion in 2012‑13 to more than $80 billion in 2024‑25.
Official numbers show a strong rebound in the second quarter of the current financial year, with inflows jumping over 18 % year‑on‑year to $35.18 billion in April‑September 2025.
“The recent trend in net FDI inflows is associated with increased repatriation/disinvestment and rising Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) outflows. The ODI outflow on account of liberalized ODI rules notified in 2022 is helping Indian entities to enhance their business footprints abroad enabling them to compete in the global market, adding to the strength of Indian economy in long run,” informed Prasada.
Prasada added that the widening repatriation trend demonstrates India’s ability not only to attract foreign capital but also to deliver solid returns, thereby reinforcing its image as a dependable destination for investment.
India has tapped free‑trade agreements to drive export diversification and attract foreign investment, having signed 15 FTAs and 6 PTAs with trading partners.
“Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), signed on March 10, 2024, is a modern and forward‑looking agreement. For the first time in history of Free Trade Agreements, unilateral binding commitment of $100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs over the next 15 years has been secured from Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland,” Prasada noted.
Prasada also explained that the government is collaborating with all stakeholders to help “our exporters to better utilise the benefits of India’s FTAs with major markets such as Japan, Korea, the UAE and effectively utilise the opportunities that have been created with the recent concluded FTAs such as with the EFTA countries and the UK.”
The government is pursuing the early finalisation of mutually beneficial FTAs with the EU, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Oman, and others. It is engaging exporters, Export Promotion Councils, industry bodies and state governments to gauge the evolving impact of U.S. tariff measures.
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