BPEA Credit reposted this
CEO BPEA Credit, Co-Chair, SVCA Private Credit Committee, EXCO Member & Chairperson Credit Council, IVCA
In the world of FDI, unexpected success stories can teach us valuable lessons about investment attraction and why the fundamentals are universal. FDI flows to India dropped by 43% in 2023 to $28 billion amid a decline of 8% for developing Asia, including a decline for China, which is the 2nd largest FDI recipient in the world, as per the latest report by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In 2022, India’s FDI inflows had risen by 10% to $49 billion, and annual FDI inflows to India have consistently increased since 2012, when it was $24 billion, less than half of 2024 inflows. As a large developing economy, we tend to see other SE Asian nations or emerging markets as key competitors in attracting FDI. After all, India boasts of compelling growth prospects for one of the largest economies, a vast and growing middle class, and a favorable investment climate. This narrative is reinforced by the current slowdown in Europe and an impending slowdown in the USA. What was interesting, therefore, was listening to the Governor of the State of Indiana, Eric Holcomb, on the Bloomberg Daybreak Asia podcase a few days ago. The State of Indiana, “…a relatively small state, is experiencing a tremendous upswing.. ” in his own words. He added that Indiana received a record-high capital investment of $8.7 billion three years ago. Two years ago, that surged to over $20 billion. Last year, capital investment into the State of Indiana was a whopping $28.7 billion, with over $20 billion from foreign direct investment! State of Indiana’s share in FDI is nearly 10% of FDI into the USA, the largest FDI recipient globally, and while accounting for less than 2% of the national GDP! Governor Holcomb went on to add that Indiana's achievements are underpinned by its status as the number one manufacturing state per capita in the U.S. “This positive trajectory is a testament to Indiana’s ability to offer certainty, predictability, stability, and continuity, which are essential for attracting and retaining business investments.” We are not just competing with other Asian or developing economies for FDI inflows. Our offering of our vast young working population, burgeoning middle class, strong growth prospects and strong markets, while not attractive, may not be sufficient to attract the kind of capital we need to usher India towards a US$ 10 trillion economy. Building out the investment opportunities and investment climate, through offering Certainty, Clarity, Continuity, and Stability would need to be the key priorities of all stakeholders in the market. #FDI #IndiaGrowth #EmergingMarkets #InvestmentOpportunities