FDI – Foreign Direct Investment’s Meaning
Foreign direct investment or FDI happens when an investor or entity directly invests in another country to gain control of a business. FDIs are beneficial for the economy of countries in which such investments are made. They also have benefits for the companies or entities making such investments. Read this blog, as it explains the meaning of foreign direct investment and several aspects related to it.
What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?
When an investor from one country buys a stake in a company or project in another country with the objective of creating a lasting interest, it is called a foreign direct investment (FDI).
“Lasting interest” means that the investor wants control by actively managing and influencing the operations of the firm he is investing in. Having understood the meaning of foreign direct investment, let us delve deeper into this topic.
How Does FDI Work?
In an FDI, an investor establishes a lasting interest by purchasing a stake in a foreign firm. You may wonder how a lasting interest is created. To establish such an interest, an investor has to secure at least 10% voting power in a business. There are many ways to make an FDI in India.
The first is called the “Automatic Route.” In this case, an investor does not need prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or the Government of India to make an FDI. There are sectors that are under the “100% Automatic Route” category, including Air-Transport Services (non-scheduled and other services under the civil aviation sector), Airports (Greenfield and Brownfield), Auto-components, Automobiles, Biotechnology (Greenfield), Capital Goods, Chemicals, etc.
There are sectors that are in the “up to 100% Automatic Route” category, including Infrastructure Companies in the Securities Market (49%), Insurance (up to 49%), Petroleum Refining (By PSUs) (49%), Medical Devices (up to 100%), etc.
The second way to make an FDI in India is through the "Government Route." Here, the government's approval is a must. An investor has to file an application through the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal for such an investment. Once the application is filed, it is sent to the respective ministry, which approves or rejects it after consulting with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce.
The sectors that come under the “up to 100% Government Route” classification are Broadcasting Content Services (49%), Banking & Public sector (20%), Multi-Brand Retail Trading (51%), Print Media (including the publishing of newspapers, periodicals, etc.) (26%), Food Products Retail Trading (100%), Core Investment Company (100%), and Satellite (Establishment and operations) (100%).
Meanwhile, FDI is not allowed in India in certain industries, including Any Gambling or Betting businesses, Nidhi Companies, Investment in Chit Funds, Atomic Energy Generation, Lotteries (online, private, government, etc), Cigars, Cigarettes, or any related tobacco industry.
Types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
An FDI can take several forms as explained below:
Horizontal FDI: When an investor invests in the same type of business in a foreign country as his existing business, it is called horizontal FDI. The objective here is to expand the consumer base by doing the same business.
Vertical FDI: When an investor invests in a complementary business in a foreign country, it is known as vertical FDI. Within vertical FDI, we have two categories. First, “backward vertical FDI,” wherein an investor invests in a business in a foreign country that provides it inputs for its existing operations. Second, “forward vertical FDI,” wherein an investor invests in a foreign company that operates in the later stages of the value chain, usually closer to final consumers. For example, this can be done by buying a stake in marketing outlets in a foreign country.
Conglomerate FDI: When an investor invests in a foreign business that is completely unrelated to its existing business, it is called conglomerate FDI.
Platform FDI: When a company sets up operations in a foreign country to export its products to a third country, it is called "platform FDI." Such FDIs are common in low-cost economies located inside free trade areas. For example, if an American car manufacturer sets up its base in Ireland to primarily export cars to other markets in the EU, it will come under this category.
Advantages of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
FDI offers numerous advantages; the most prominent ones are described below:
Economic development: FDI often results in the economic development of countries, where such investments are made. By investing in foreign companies, investors bring much-required financial resources to other countries, which allows them to grow.
New technologies and skills: FDI also brings new technologies and skills to foreign countries, resulting in the creation of altogether new industries and a talented workforce there.
Low labour costs: By setting up their operations in another country, investors are able to reduce their labour costs if the prevailing labour rates in such a country are lower than their own countries.
Increase in employment: When a foreign investor sets up its base in another country, he mostly ends up employing locals, which provides a boost to local employment.
Disadvantages of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
While FDI has many benefits, it has a few disadvantages as well, which are described below:
Over-dependence on FDI: If a country becomes too dependent on FDI, it may become extremely vulnerable during recessions. This is because a foreign investor may close its operations during an economic downturn, resulting in a flight of capital.
Displacement of local businesses: At times when a large foreign investor invests in a country, it results in the displacement of many small local businesses. This can cause a huge economic and social problem.
Regulation of multiple governments: When a company sets up its base in many foreign countries, it needs to seek approvals from multiple governments, which can result in delays or various kinds of hurdles.
Repatriation of profits: When a foreign company repatriates its profits without investing them in a host country, then it limits the benefits of such an FDI. Hence, foreign companies should not repatriate their profits excessively if a host country has to grow.
Foreign Direct Investment’s (FDI) Examples
Find below category-wise examples of foreign direct investments:
Horizontal FDI: Let us say that a European chocolate manufacturer decides to set up an Indian subsidiary to sell chocolate in India, then it will be an example of horizontal FDI.
Backward vertical FDI: Let us say that an American car manufacturer purchases a tyre company in another country because the cost of manufacturing a tyre is cheaper there, then it will be an example of backward vertical FDI.
Forward vertical FDI: If a coffee retail brand purchases stores in other countries that allow it to get closer to its final consumers, then it will be an example of forward vertical FDI.
Conglomerate FDI: Here, an investor sets up a business in another country that is unrelated to its existing business. For example, a petroleum company investing in a tech business in a foreign country will fall into this category.
Platform FDI: Let us say that a French perfume maker sets up its operations in the US but instead of selling its products in the US, it exports them to other countries in Asia, then it will be an example of platform FDI.
Conclusion
Foreign direct investments or FDIs are a significant driver of growth for countries worldwide. Closer home in India, many foreign companies have set up their operations through the FDI route. States of India, like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, with significant FDI inflows are the most developed from the viewpoint of industries. FDIs have many benefits, for example, they give a boost to local employment and bring resources required for business expansion. That said, a country needs to have clear rules and regulations to attract FDIs. This is because foreign investors do not prefer countries with unclear rules and regulations.
Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.
This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.
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