India gets nearly Rs 5,000 crore FDI after easing rules for Chinese-linked firms

New Delhi: The decision to permit overseas companies with up to 10 per cent Chinese shareholding to invest in India under the automatic route has begun to yield results, with 29 FDI proposals totalling about Rs 4,895.65 crore reported so far, an official said.

The finance ministry notified the changes to this effect under FEMA on May 1, 2026.

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These investments span a range of sectors, with significant investments in information technology, artificial intelligence, information and communication, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, data centres and transport services, among others, the official said.

The 29 investments have been reported from investors/entities based in jurisdictions including Mauritius, the United States, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands.

The official added that the revised framework notified in May significantly facilitates and expedites the flow of foreign investment into India by removing the requirement of prior government approval in such cases.

The investor entity can proceed through the automatic route, subject to compliance with applicable reporting requirements. The reform provides greater certainty to investors, reduces transaction time and further strengthens the ease of doing business in India, the official added.

As per the amendments, foreign companies having a Chinese/Hong Kong shareholding of up to 10 per cent will be eligible to invest in India in sectors where FDI is permitted under the automatic route, subject to sectoral conditions.

However, these relaxed FDI rules do not apply to entities registered in China or Hong Kong or other countries sharing land borders with India.

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Countries that share a land border with India are China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.

Earlier, foreign firms with shareholders from these land border nations owning even a single share had to seek mandatory approval to invest in India in any sector.