Showing posts with label Foreign Direct Investment in India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign Direct Investment in India. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2015

India’s economic growth to improve despite unfavorable global winds

With the fluctuations in the economy of India, investors are playing it safe and choosing to invest carefully. According to the finance minister of India, Arun Jaitley, due to the continuing reforms, India’s financial growth will skyrocket higher than last year 7.3 percent despite global challenges. Since years now, India has always been in the spotlight for its economic growth and its impact on the real estate segment. Researchers claim that among the different metropolitan cities and residential areas of India, the apartments and villas in Devanahalli, Bangalore, have witnessed significant demand by potential buyers and real estate investors.
  • Changes in Indian economic scenario
As the nation has the potential to be the bright spot in the gloomy world economic scenario, foreign investors are lured with the relaxed and hassle-free conditions of doing business in India. The private sector investments have been slow, and a high cost of capital was also affecting several other factors. Local companies, which were working with some constraints in the wake of global demand slowdown and a plethora of capabilities, were capable of overcoming those challenges. Today the financial situation in the country is no longer acute as it used to be earlier. The fiscal deficit is dropping down while the inflation is under control. A keen understanding of competitive federalism is driving the Indian growth story as the states are all aggressively seeking investment. The ease of doing business is still said to be work in progress. Significant advancement has been witnessed, and a lot of improvements need to be done on a continuous basis. The cost of capital is high and its impact on infrastructure, real estate sector, and manufacturing, which is an essential engine of growth in India, is currently felt.
  • Attracting foreign investors to invest in India
On seeing India’s growth story, international investors with a collective asset under management of $10 trillion have been advised to invest in infrastructure, manufacturing, and other sectors that have funding needs. It is considered that international investment is going to be an exceptional source of resource for India as the government is working on a slew of reforms. It includes a new law to ensure disputes are settled through arbitration within six months.
  • How real estate in India is affected by the dynamic nature of India economy
In India, housing plays a critical factor from affordable accommodations to infrastructure and generation of employment. The residential segment comprising of building, townships, colleges, hospitals, and other projects make the maximum contribution in real estate industry and commands a large part of its market share. The overall health of the economy plays a key factor that directly affects the value of real estate. The GDP, manufacturing activity, prices of goods, employment data and few other indicators measure the health of the economy. The size and scale of the property market make it an attractive and lucrative avenue for investors. Due to the low capital requirements, low transaction costs, and high liquidity available in the market, the average investor prefers to invest indirectly in real estate. It has been observed that the south Indian cities have become a hotspot for real estate investment. Be it for residential purposes or as second home, cities such as Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore are often chosen by potential investors. Buying apartments and villas in Devanahalli or Bannerghatta is more than just luxury.
 
With foreign investors organizing investment summits in their states and finding a resolution of long-pending tax disputes, the nation is well on its way to overcoming economic hiccups and finding financial stability.
 
 
This is a guest post by Surendra Hiranandani, Founder and Managing Director, House of Hiranandani

Friday, October 31, 2014

The government of India has relaxed the rules for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into real estate sector in India. What will be the benefits to realty sector and what is missing from these new policy changes?

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter

As presented by Union Finance minister Arun Jaitely during his July budget speech, the changes to relaxation in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) into real estate sector in the country has now been notified.

The changes - FDI into Real Estate
  • Minimum area requirements, in case of Construction-development projects - built-up area of 20,000 sq. mts now from 50000 sq. mts.
  • Investment - Minimum capitalization for wholly owned subsidiaries - US$ 5 million now from US$ 10 million. However, the lock-in period for investment has not been relaxed from 3-years. Foreign investors can still exit earlier if the project is completed. The Government may also permit repatriation of FDI or transfer of stake before project completion on a case to case basis by Foreign Investment Promotion Board.
  • For serviced plots — where roads, water, drainage and other conveniences are available — the minimum land size has been waived, from a requirement of 10 hectares earlier.
  • To boost funding to affordable housing projects, the conditions of minimum floor area as well as capital requirements are waived if at least 30 per cent of the total project cost is committed for low-cost affordable housing. To qualify as an affordable housing project, at least 60 per cent of the floor area must be used to build small homes (not more than 650 sq feet).

These are all welcome steps by the government to boost real estate sector in India. The sector which is starved of liquidity can breathe a sigh of relief. However, the notifications would not result in pouring of FDI in short term. It may take 9-12 months before we see results on the ground.

Reduction in minimum built up area to 20000 square meter and reduction in capital investment to US$ 5 million will have rippling effect on the state of the property market in India. Experts and analysts believe that these 2 initiatives can in fact help in doubling the FDI into the real estate sector. FDI into construction development sector was 1.22 billion US$ in fiscal year 2013-14 (1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014). Whereas FDI into real estate sector in fiscal year 2012-13 (1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013) was 1.3 billion US $. This year from 1 April 2014 to 31 August 2014, the FDI flows into real estate sector have been 446 million US $. Below one can find the history of FDI in India in various sectors including the real estate.



What will be the benefits?

  • Liquidity
It is a well known fact that developers are cash strapped and are in dire needs of funds to complete projects. Since 2011, the repo rates have been hovering in the range of 8%, making it extremely costly for developers to raise funds from banks and financial institutions. With these relaxations in place, developers can now have access to institutional funds.



  • Small Projects
Prior to this, small projects of size less that 50000 square meter were not allowed to access FDI. However, this has been changed now. Small scale real estate developers coming up with housing societies, multi family developments can now be exposed to institutional funds.

  • Affordable Housing
The government is of the view that state of affordable housing is in dire straits of special attention. Till 2012, approximately, 18.78 million units were needed to be built. And about 99% of the total shortage of housing in urban areas belongs to the Economic Weaker Section and Low Income Groups of the society. This new policy initiative will give boost to affordable housing in India and will be a step in right direction to achieve housing for all by 2022.


What is missing from the new policy initiative?

Land-use rules for the sector have not been mentioned in this new proposal by the union government. Norm on land-use is a local issue which will vary from State to State, remarked a DIPP official.




Have any Questions?

Friday, April 11, 2014

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Flows in real estate and housing sector in India

Author: Sachin Gupta | Find me on Twitter

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a good indicator of a country’s attractiveness to global investors. India has been able to attract substantial amount of FDI into various sectors such as services, construction development, telecommunications, computer hardware & software, drugs & pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automobile, power, metallurgy, hotel & tourism. Significance of Foreign Direct Investment can hardly be underestimated and therefore government of India has devised policies which have attracted FDI into various sectors mentioned above. Here is a quick look at the flow of FDI into India since April 2000.




It can be noted from above chart that FDI flows into India jumped from financial year 2006-2007 on account of policy initiative by the government which permits FDI under the following forms:

  1. Financial collaborations.
  2. Joint ventures and technical collaborations.
  3. Capital markets via Euro issues.
  4. Private placements or preferential allotments.



Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT: TOWNSHIPS, HOUSING, BUILT-UP INFRASTRUCTURE

The FDI Equity flow in housing and real estate sector was 8.9% in financial year 2008-2009, 11% in financial year 2009-2010, 5.3% in financial year 2010-2011, 8.9% in financial year 2011-2012, 5.9% in financial year 2012-2013 of total FDI equity flows into India. Overall, the sector has attracted a total of 23046.61 US $ Million from April 2000 to January 2014. The total FDI equity flows into India during this same period has been 212153 US $ Million. In other words, from April 2000 to January 2014, the construction development sector including of townships, housing, built-up infrastructure has attracted about 11% of total FDI equity inflows.



In 2005, India relaxed the norms for FDI inflows into real estate and housing sector by allowing Foreign Direct Investment under the automatic route which means no prior permission is required for approval either from Government of India or the from the RBI. The policy permits FDI up to 100 per cent under the automatic route in townships, housing and construction development projects and hospitality sectors such as residential complexes, shopping centers, malls, multiplexes, Cineplex, commercial offices, hotels/service apartments, resorts, hospitals, educational institutions.

Here are the detailed guidelines for FDI in Real Estate:




Guidelines for fdi in real estate in india from Green Realtech Projects Pvt. Ltd

Can the sector see increased FDI in near future?


Have any Questions?