Information on business opportunities and foreign direct investment in India .

While the spiraling crude oil price threatens to cripple the global economies, India remains largely insulated. Industry research shows that the growth of Indian economy has been rather less oil-intensive than her global counterparts and, so, India may still hope to maintain its nine per cent annual growth rate despite the crisis.

The decline of India’s oil-intensiveness started off towards the beginning of this millennium with the growth of the less oil-dependent services sectors and improved energy-efficiency in the manufacturing facilities. Research also shows that although a large portion (about 70%) of its local requirement is met through import, it is the high export revenue from the petroleum products that offsets the ballooning import bill to a large extent.

Rather than being a mere conjecture, the fact is well acknowledged by the entrepreneurial community who look to setting up business in India. A recent survey conducted by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) shows that India as the most-favored destination for long-term Japanese investment. Global consulting firm KPMG reveals in a survey, that India (18%), has outscored France (14%), Russia (13%), Japan (10%) and Brazil (9%), as the preferred investment destination. Very soon, it is likely to become the world leader for investment in manufacturing. Among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) nations, it is supposed to be the biggest gainer.

Cheap industry resources, liberal investment policies, large pool of young and talented manpower, and all fostered by an environment conducive to growth, are the instrumental factors behind the phenomenon. In a bid to facilitate the dissemination of investment information, the government and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) together have formed a non-profit organization India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), where you may find comprehensive information about industries and investing in India.