FDI witnessed sharp fall during April-December period

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India contracted by 7 per cent to USD 33.49 billion during April-December in the current fiscal, according to commerce and industry ministry data. Foreign fund inflows during April-December 2017-18 stood at USD 35.94 billion.

The key sectors that received the maximum foreign investment during the nine months of the fiscal include services (USD 5.91 billion), computer software and hardware (USD 4.75 billion), telecommunications (USD 2.29 billion), trading (USD 2.33 billion), chemicals (USD 6.05 billion), and the automobile industry (USD 1.81 billion).

Singapore was the largest source of FDI during April-December 2018-19 with USD 12.97 billion inflow, followed by Mauritius (USD 6 billion), the Netherlands (USD 2.95 billion), Japan (USD 2.21 billion), US (USD 2.34 billion), and the UK (USD 1.05 billion). A decline in foreign inflows could put pressure on the country's balance of payments and may also impact the value of the rupee.