Big Push to FDI Reforms in India

The Indian Government has come out with radical reforms to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in order to give a boost to many schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since his coming to power in 2014. These schemes are Make in India,Skill India, and in the pipeline are Startup India. Another reason for these changes in FDI reforms can also be linked to the poor show by the BJP in the recently held elections in Bihar. The detractors may term the timings of these reforms as to take away the attention of the people from the shameful defeat of Modi government in BJP and toward the much-needed economic reforms. The people of India have started to be disillusioned by the policies of the Modi government and the communal tensions and disharmony in the society off late, and the push in FDI is the much-needed distraction the Modi government needs at the moment.

The Government has announced opening of the following 15 sectors with either increasing the investment limits in the sectors or putting these sectors in automatic route rather than in the approval route. The following sectors have been opened up:- 

• Investment in private banking – Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs)/Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)/Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs) can now invest upto 74%
• Cable TV networks – 100% FDI is allowed with upto 49% under automatic route
• DTH TV - 100% FDI is allowed with upto 49% under automatic route
• Plantations of coffee/rubber/cardamom/palm oil – 100% FDI under automatic route
• FM Radio – upto 49% under approval route
• News/current affairs TV Channels – upto 49% with government approval
• Non-news TV Channels – 100% FDI without prior approval, that is, under automatic route
• Duty-free shops – 100% FDI under automatic route
• Same Entity for single brand retailing/wholesale – 100% under automatic route
• LLPs – 100% under automatic route
• In the aviation sector, the sectoral cap of 49% without prior approval has been increased to 74% without prior approval for foreign general aviation charter operators and large ground handling companies to set up their own bases in India. The Government has also allowed 49% FDI in regional air transport services thereby giving a boost to its initiative to grow the regional air transport services in India.
• Investment in defence sector has also been eased from 26% earlier to 49% now.
• The construction sector has also been opened up by removing all restrictions on FDI except for a three-year lock in period in select projects.
• The companies owned and  managed by NRIs can now invest in Indian companies.
• Beside opening up the various sectors as above, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has now been empowered to give single-window clearance to projects worth up to Rs. 50 billion or USD 753 million

There is no doubt that the government appears to be committed to push the economy and the industry has taken these reforms well and in a positive manner. It is to be seen how much these reforms convert into real economic growth.