Annex. Sector-wise Foreign Investment Caps and Conditions
Note: The table refers to several Press Notes issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which related to FDI regulations in respective sectors. Prospective investors should read these notes while preparing their applications. Texts of these Press Notes are available on the official website www.dipp.gov.in.
Sector/ Activity FDI Cap Entry Route Other Conditions Press Note reference*
Airports
- Greenfield project 100% Automatic
Sector regulations notified by Ministry of Civil Aviation. www.civilaviation.nic.in
PN 4 / 2006
- Existing projects 100% FIPB route beyond 74%
Sector regulations notified by Ministry of Civil Aviation. www.civilaviation.nic.in
PN 4 / 2006
Air transport Services 49% - FDI;100% - for Non Resident Indians Automatic
Subject to no direct or indirect participation by foreign airlines. Government of India Gazette Notification dated 2.11.2004 issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation.  www.civilaviation.nic.in
PN 4/2006
Alcohol – Distillation & Brewing
100% Automatic
Subject to license by appropriate authority
PN 4 / 2006
Asset Reconstruction Companies
49% (only FDI FIPB

Where any individual investment exceeds 10% of the equity, provisions of Section 3(3)(f) of Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 should be compiled with www.finmin.nic.in

 
Atomic Minerals 74% FIPB

Subject to guidelines issued by Department of Atomic Energy vide resolution No. 8/1(1)/97-PSU/1422 dated 6.10.98

 
Banking – Private Sector
74% (FDI +Foreign institutional investment FII) Automatic
Subject to guidelines for setting up branches/subsidiaries of foreign banks issued by RBI. www.rbi.org.in
PN 2/2004
Broadcasting
FM Radio FDI+FII investment up to 20% FIPB
Subject to guidelines notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. www.mib.nic.in
PN 6/2005
Cable network 49% (FDI+FII) FIPB
Subject to Cable Television Network Rules (1994) Notified by Ministry of Information & broadcasting. www.mib.nic.in
 
Direct –To-Home

49% (FDI+FII) Within this limit, FDI component not to exceed 20%

FIPB
Subject to guidelines issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. www.mib.nic.in
 
Setting up hardware facilities such as up-linking, HUB etc
49% (FDI+FII) FIPB
Subject to Up-linking Policy notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting www.mib.nic.in
PN1 / 2006
Up-linking a News & Current Affairs TV Channel
26% FDI & FII FIPB
Subject to Up-linking Policy notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting www.mib.nic.in
PN1 / 2006
Up-linking a Non-news & Current Affairs TV Channel
100% FIPB
Subject to Up-linking Policy notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting www.mib.nic.in
PN1 / 2006
Cigars & Cigarettes - Manufacture
100% FIPB

Subject to industrial license under the Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951

PN 4 / 2006
Coal & Lignite mining for captive consumption by power projects, and iron & steel, cement
100% Automatic
Subject to provisions of Coal Mines (Nationalization) Act, 1973
www.coal.nic.in
PN 4 / 2006
production and other eligible activities permitted under the Coal Mines (nationalization) Act, 1973
    www.coal.nic.in  
Coffee & Rubber processing and warehousing
100% Automatic   PN 4/ 2006
Construction Development projects, including housing, commercial premises, resorts, educational institutions, recreational facilities, city and regional level infrastructure, townships.
100% Automatic Subject to conditions notified vide Press Note 2 (2005 Series) including:
  1. minimum capitalization of US$ 10 million for wholly owned subsidiaries and US$ 5 million for joint venture. The funds would have to be brought within six months of commencement of business of the Company.
  2. Minimum area to be developed under each project – 10 hectares in case of development of serviced housing plots; and built-up area of 50,000 sqli.m, in case of construction development project; and any of the above in case of a combination project.
PN 2 / 2005 & PN2/ 2006
Courier services for carrying packages, parcels and other items which do not come within do not come within the ambit of the Indian Post Office Act, 1898
100% FIPB
Subject to existing laws and exclusion of activity relating to distribution of letters, which is exclusively reserved for the State.
www.indiapost.gov.in
PN 4 /2001
Defence production 26% FIPB
Subject to licensing under Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and guidelines on FDI in production of arms & ammunition
PN 4 / 2001 & PN 2 / 2002
Floriculture, Horticulture, Development of Seeds, Animal Husbandry, Pisciculture, aqua-culture, cultivation of vegetables, mushrooms, under controlled conditions and services related to agro and allied sectors.
100% Automatic

Subject to licensing under Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and other sectoral regulations

PN 4 / 2006
Hazardous chemicals, viz., hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives; phosgene and derivatives; and isocyanates of hydrocarbon.
100% Automatic

Subject to licensing under Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and other sectoral regulations

PN 4/ 2006

Industrial explosives - Manufacture

100% Automatic

Subject to industrial license under Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and regulations under Explosives 1898

PN 4 / 2006

Insurance 26% Automatic

Subject to licensing by the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority
www.irda.nic.in

PN 10/2000

Investing companies in infrastructure / services sector (except telecom sector)

49% FIPB

Foreign investment in an investing company will not be counted towards sectoral cap in infrastructure/ services sector provided the investment is up

PN 2 / 2000 & PN 5/ 2005
Mining covering exploration and mining of diamonds & precious stones, gold, silver and minerals.
100% Automatic Subject to Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) act, 1957
www.mines.nic.in
Press Note 18 (1998) and Press Note 1 (2005) are not applicable for setting up 100% owned subsidiaries in so far as the mining sector is concerned, subject to a declaration from the applicant that he has no existing joint venture for the same area and /or the particular mineral.

PN 2/2000,
PN 3/ 2005 & PN 4/2006

Non Banking Finance Companies – approved activities
  1. Merchant Banking
  2. Underwriting Portfolio Management Services
  3. Investment Advisory Services
  4. Financial Consultancy
  5. Stock Broking Asset Management
  6. Venture Capital
  7. Custodial Services
  8. Factoring
  9. Credit Rating Agencies
  10. Leasing & Finance
  11. Housing Finance
  12. Forex Broking
  13. Credit card business
  14. Money changing business
  15. Micro credit
  16. Rural credit
100% Automatic

Subject to:

  1. Minimum capitalization norms for fund based Non Banking Finance Companies NBFCs – US$ 0.5 million to be brought upfront for FDI upto 51%; US$ 5 million to be brought upfront for FDI above 51% and up to 75%; and US$ 50 million out of which US$ 7.5 million to be brought upfront and the balance in 24 months for FDI beyond 75% and upto 100%.
  2. Minimum capitalization norms for non-fund based NBFC activities – US$ 0.5 million
  3. Foreign investors can set up 100% operating subsidiaries without the condition to disinvest a minimum of 25% of its equity to Indian entities subject to bringing in US$50 million without any restriction on number of operating subsidiaries without bringing additional capital.
  4. Joint venture operating NBFC’s that have 75% or less than 75% foreign investment will also be allowed to set up subsidiaries for undertaking other NBFC activities subject to the subsidiaries also complying with the applicable minimum capital inflow.
  5. Compliance with the guidelines of the RBI.
 
Petroleum and Natural gas Sector
Other than refining and including market study and formulation; investment/ financing; setting up infrastructure for marketing in Petroleum & Natural Gas Sector
100% Automatic
Subject to sectoral regulations passed by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and in the case of actual trading and marketing of Petroleum products, disinvestment of 26% equity in favour of Indian partner/public within 5 years.
www.petroleum.nic.in

PN 1/2004 &

PN 4/2006
Refining 26% in case of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)

100% in case of Private companies
FIPB (in case of PSUs)

Automatic (in case of Private Companies)

Subject to Sectoral policy
www.petroleum.nic.in

PN 2/2000
Print Media
Publishing of newspaper and periodicals dealing with news and current affairs
26% FIPB Subject to Guidelines notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
www.mib.nic.in
 
Publishing of scientific magazines/specialty journals/periodicals 100% FIPB Subject to Guidelines notified by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
www.mib.nic.in
PN 1/ 2004
Power including generation (except Atomic energy); transmission, distribution and Power Trading.
100% Automatic Subject provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003
www.powermin.nic.in

PN 2/1998

PN 7 / 2000 & PN 4/2006
Tea Sector, including tea plantation 100% FIPB

Subject to divestment of 26% equity in favour of Indian partner/ Indian public within 5 years and prior approval of State Government for change in land use.

PN 6/2002
Telecommunications
Basic and Cellular, Unified Access services, National / International Long Distance, V- Sat, Public Mobile Radio Turnkey Services (PMRTS). Global Mobile Personal Communications Services (GMPCS) and other value added telecom services
74% (including FDI, FII, NRI, Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds, American Depository Receipts, Global Depository Receipts,  convertible preference shares, and proportionate foreign equity in Indian promoters/investing company)

Automatic up to 49%

FIPB beyond 49%
Subject to guidelines notified in the PN 5 (2005 series) PN 5 / 2005
ISP with gateways, radio paging, end-to-end bandwidth
74%

Automatic up to 49%

FIPB beyond 49%

Subject to licensing and security requirements notified by the Department of Telecommunications
www.dotindia.com

PN 4 / 2001
ISP without gateways, infrastructure provider providing dark fibre, electronic mail and voice mail. 100% Automatic up to 49%

FIPB beyond 49%
Subject to the condition that such companies shall divest 26% of their equity in favour of Indian public in 5 years, if these companies are listed in other parts of the world. Also subject to licensing and security requirements, where required.
www.dotindia.com
PN 9/ 2000
Manufacture of telecom equipments
100% Automatic Subject to sectoral requirements.
www.dotindia.com
PN 2/2000
Trading
Wholesale/cash & carry trading

Trading for exports

Trading of items sourced from small scale sector

Test marketing of such items for which a company has approval for manufacture
100%


100%





100%
Automatic

 

Automatic

 

FIPB

 

FIPB
Subject to the guidelines for FDI in trading issued by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion vide Press Note 3 (2006 series)
PN 4 / 2006
Single Brand product retailing 100%



51%
FIPB    
Satellites – Establishment and operation
74% FIPB
Subject to Sectoral guidelines issued by Department of Space / ISRO
www.isro.org
 
Special Economic Zones and Free Trade Warehousing Zones covering setting up of these Zones and setting up units in the Zones
100% Automatic Subject to Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 and Foreign Trade Policy
www.sezindia.nic.in

PN 9/ 2000

PN 2/ 2006 & PN 4/2006
 
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