In 2023, India clocks fewest FPI registrations in a decade

167 offshore funds opened shop in the country, down from 604 last year, shows Sebi data

- Pavan Burugula & Ram Sahgal

Registrations by foreign portfolio investors in India this year were the fewest in at least 10 years, although foreign investments have continued to rush in.

Market experts pinned the steep decline in registrations on global economic headwinds, while pointing out that FPIs already in India have delivered stellar returns in recent years.

Only 167 offshore funds set up shop in India this year, down from 604 in 2022, show data compiled from the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The last time FPI registrations were at this year’s level was in 2019, at 169.

India, however, has been receiving robust foreign inflows, outperforming other emerging markets. In 2023, India received net FPI inflows amounting to ₹2.3 lakh crore, of which ₹1.6 lakh crore was from equities—the best since 2020 when foreign funds pumped ₹1.7 lakh crore into India.

Combining equity and debt flows from FPIs, 2023 has been the best year since 2014, when India witnessed offshore investments to the tune of ₹2.5 lakh crore, depository data show.