Before 1991, foreign investment was tightly restricted. Liberalisation opened the door, and after 2014 a push on ease-of-doing-business, an automatic-approval route and schemes like Make in India lifted inflows. Annual FDI climbed from about $45 billion in 2014-15 to $84.8 billion in 2021-22 and a record $94.5 billion in 2025-26 (provisional).
Foreign Investment · FDI
Foreign Investment · FDI
Foreign direct investment is money that overseas companies put into building and owning businesses in India. Annual inflows rose from about $45 billion in 2014-15 to $84.8 billion in 2021-22 and a record $94.5 billion in 2025-26 (provisional). About $749 billion arrived over the eleven financial years 2014-25 — 143% more than in 2003-14 — and cumulative FDI since 2000 has passed $1.17 trillion. The counter shows annual FDI inflows.
$1.17 tn
Cumulative FDI (Apr 2000–Mar 2026)
$94.5 bn
Annual FDI inflow (FY26, provisional)
100%
Automatic route (most sectors)
Annual FDI inflows (US$ bn)
| Year | FDI inflows |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 45.2 US$ bn |
| 2016 | 55.6 US$ bn |
| 2017 | 60.2 US$ bn |
| 2018 | 61.0 US$ bn |
| 2019 | 62.0 US$ bn |
| 2020 | 74.4 US$ bn |
| 2021 | 82.0 US$ bn |
| 2022 | 84.8 US$ bn |
| 2023 | 71.4 US$ bn |
| 2024 | 71.3 US$ bn |
| 2025 | 80.6 US$ bn |
| 2026 | 94.5 US$ bn |
2015
0.0US$ bn
FDI inflows
20152026
Since 2015
Added
+49.4 US$ bn
2015
45.2 US$ bn
2026
94.5 US$ bn
Why it matters FDI brings capital, technology, jobs and global supply chains — a vote of confidence in India's economy from the rest of the world.
- Annual FDI ~$45 bn (FY15) → ~$85 bn (FY22) → record ~$94.5 bn (FY26, provisional)
- ~$749 bn over 2014-25 (11 financial years), +143% over 2003-14
- Cumulative FDI $1.17 trillion (to March 2026); source countries 89 → 112
- Source: DPIIT
History
A trillion-dollar magnet
Over the eleven financial years 2014-25 India drew about $749 billion of FDI — 143% more than in 2003-14 and nearly 70% of all FDI since 2000. Cumulative inflows crossed $1 trillion by 2024, the number of source countries grew from 89 to 112, and over 90% now comes through the automatic route.
How it works
Foreign direct investment is long-term money — a company building a factory or buying a stake in an Indian business, unlike volatile stock-market flows. India has steadily opened more sectors to automatic FDI (needing no government approval) and eased rules, while keeping limits in sensitive areas like defence and media. Most inflows come via Singapore, Mauritius and the US, landing heavily in services, computer software and manufacturing.
Outlook
Cumulative FDI has crossed $1 trillion, and India was the world's third-largest recipient of greenfield projects in the World Investment Report 2023. Annual inflows reached a record $94.5 billion in 2025-26 (provisional); the push ahead is to broaden investment beyond a few states and services into manufacturing — riding the 'China+1' shift as firms diversify supply chains — and keep easing rules so approvals stay fast.
By the numbers
Annual FDI ~$45 bn (FY15) → ~$85 bn (FY22) → ~$81 bn (FY25) → record ~$94.5 bn (FY26, provisional); ~$749 bn over FY15–FY25; cumulative ~$1.17 tn. Source: DPIIT; PIB.
Data current to: FY 2025-26 (provisional)
Source: DPIIT (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) — total FDI inflow (equity, reinvested earnings and other capital; US$ billion), by financial year. DPIIT FDI factsheet, data to March 2026: US$ 45.1 bn in 2014-15, US$ 84.8 bn in 2021-22 and a record US$ 94.5 bn in 2025-26 (provisional); US$ 1.17 trillion cumulative since April 2000 (linked). · link