India FDI inflows rise to $8.8 billion in April 2025 as repatriations drop

Foreign direct investment into India began financial year 2025-26 on a relatively strong footing, with gross inflows rising nearly 23% and net inflows more than doubling in April 2025, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.

The data, as part of the central bank’s monthly bulletin released on June 25, shows that gross inward FDI stood at $8.8 billion in April 2025, higher than the $5.9 billion in March 2025 and $7.2 billion in April 2024. 

“Manufacturing and business services accounted for nearly half of the gross FDI inflows in this month,” the report noted. “Net outward FDI also increased, along with a moderation in repatriation. Top sectors for outward FDI included electricity, gas and water, and financial, insurance and business services, while major destinations included Singapore, Mauritius, and Germany.” 

The data shows that net outward FDI stood at $3.2 billion in April 2025, up 168.5% from its level in April 2024, but down 15% over March 2025. Repatriation, on the other hand, fell by 59% to $1.7 billion in April 2025. 

Net FDI is the gross amount entering the country minus repatriations and outward FDI. 

“Together, these movements resulted in net FDI inflows of $3.9 billion in April 2025, more than double the level in April 2024,” the report said. “Furthermore, India ranked 16th globally in FDI inflows and recorded $114 billion in greenfield investment in digital economy sectors over the last five years (2020-2024), the highest among all countries in the Global South.”