India has overtaken China as the most attractive investment destination, according to Ernst & Young (EY), with the sharp depreciation in the rupee and opening up of new sectors to foreign players boosting the South Asian nation’s allure. This according to report published on CNBC. Companies are most likely to invest in India, followed by Brazil (2), China (3), Canada (4) and the United States (5), EY’s ninth bi-annual Capital Confidence Barometer – a survey of 1,600 senior executives across more than 70 countries – showed. Other nations in the top 10 are South Africa (6), Vietnam (7), Myanmar (8), Mexico (9) and Indonesia (10).
Sectors with the highest level of possible deals in India include Automotive, Technology, Life Sciences and Consumer Products.
The survey reported that 38 percent of the respondents feel that Merger and Acquisition volumes in India are expected to improve over the next 12 months, while 30 percent believe that these will remain stable. “The investor outlook for India remains positive, despite the challenges the country’s economy has faced in the recent past. At the same time, the improved condition of the world economy has helped increase confidence amongst deal makers, prompting them to take a bolder stance toward executing transactions,” said Amit Khandelwal, National Leader & Partner — Transaction Advisory Services, EY. “After two years, European countries (Britain and Germany) have made a comeback on the potential investment destinations list for Indian companies,” the report said. In August, the Indian government announced relaxation in foreing investor norms in many sectors, including multi-brand retail and telecom.
