Skip to main content

Gujarat No 5 in FDI inflow in India, not No 1 destination: Official data contradict claim

By A Representative 
A recent Financial Times Group thinktank may have claimed that Gujarat turned into No 1 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destination among all Indian and Chinese states (see Counterview, April 22), Government of India’s (GoI’s) own  FDI data show that, far from being No 1 among the two countries, it is No 5 in India.
While the thinktank, FDI Intelligence, gave the figures of FDI intentions, pointing out Gujarat "attracted $12.4bn and claimed 10 per cent of all capital investment into both countries", pushing Shanghai Municipality (China) to the No 2 position with an investment of $10.57b, the GoI figures show that Gujarat has remained consistently No 5 since 2000 in India.
The quarterly factsheet, released by the GoI’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), shows that FDI inflow into Gujarat was $ 9,507 million between April and December 2015, which is five per cent of that of India’s $191,063 million.
As against Gujarat’s 4.97 per cent of FDI inflow, Greater Delhi’s or National Capital Region’s (NCR’s) was found to be 36.18 per cent (or $69,129 million) that of the country, followed by Maharashtra 17.66 per cent (or $33,756 million), Tamil Nadu’s 14.66 per cent (or $28,023 million), and Karnataka’s 11.45 per cent (or $21,883 million).
The quarterly factsheet, significantly, provides actual FDI inflow data as against the global thinktank FDI Intelligence’s data on what is often called “committed” or “intended” investment, which may or may not fructify on the ground level.
What is equally interesting is that, the cumulative FDI inflow between April 2000 and December 2015 also shows that Gujarat has remained No 5 throughout. With a total FDI inflow of $63,304 million (or five per cent of the total) during the 15-year period, Gujarat remained No 5.
In cumulative investment during the 15 years, Maharashtra has been found to be on the top, with an investment of $386,778 million (29 per cent of India’s), followed by NCR’s 318,153 (22 per cent), Tamil Nadu’s $116,790 million (8 per cent), and Karnataka’s 104,004 (7 per cent).
The thinktank report, interestingly, had praised Gujarat’s performance for being No 1 just in five years. It said, "In 2011, Gujarat was ranked the 14th most popular state for FDI within the two countries.”
It had added, despite Gujarat overtaking all other states of the two countries, “Maharashtra in western India remains one of the strongest performers across the years and it has continued to close the gap on the top Chinese destination, Shanghai Municipality, with the locations attracting $8.3bn and $10.6bn, respectively, in 2015."
Interestingly, the thinktank, in a separate analysis did not find India’s topmost business capital, Ahmedabad, or for that matter any other city, figuring among Asia-Pacific region’s top ten FDI job creating cities.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Are the definitions of foreign direct investment the same for both reports? Unless so, comparison in findings is irrelevant
Jag Jivan said…
Why are you anonymous? Come off and give "real" facts, if you have any

TRENDING

Nepal votes amid regional rivalry: Why New Delhi is watching closely

By Nava Thakuria*  As Nepal holds an early national election on Thursday (5 March 2026), the people of northeast India, along with other regional observers, are watching the proceedings closely. The vote was necessitated after the government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli collapsed in September 2025 following widespread anti-government protests. The election will determine the composition of the 275-member House of Representatives, originally scheduled for 2027, under the stewardship of an interim government led by former Supreme Court justice Sushila Karki.

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

  By A Representative   A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative   In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative   A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey*   Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel*  The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava*   Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra   Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.