India has long been known for the diversity of its culture, for the inclusiveness of its people and for the convenience of geography. Today, the world's largest democracy has come to the forefront as a global resource for industry in manufacturing and services. Its pool of technical skills, its base of English speaking populace with an increasing disposable income and its burgeoning market have all combined to enable India emerge as a viable partner to global industry. Supported by India's natural strengths, the country offers investment opportunities in excess of $500 billion in diverse sectors over the next five years.

This highly diversified economy has shown rapid growth and remarkable resilience since 1991, when economic reforms were initiated with the progressive opening of the economy to international trade and investment. Events such as the Asian currency crisis, the dotcom bust and rising oil prices have had no significant impact on India's growth; the economy grew at an average annual GDP growth of 6.5% over the past decade. Going forward, the country is targeting an annual GDP growth rate plus as it has demonstrated in recent past.

India is in the global arena for increased foreign investment - both through the Equity markets - termed Foreign Institutional Investment (FII) - and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). While its size and growth potential make India attractive as a market, the most compelling reason for investors to be in India is that it provides a high Return on Investment (ROI). India is a free market democracy with a legal and regulatory framework that rewards free enterprise, entrepreneurship and risk taking.

The manufacturing and infrastructure sectors stand to offer over US $ 135 billion and US $ 250 billion respectively of investment opportunity in the next 5 years. Sound economic fundamentals:

India has the largest number of listed companies across 23 Stock Exchanges and the third largest investors base in the world. The present market capitalization is over USD 800 billion. There is a paradigm shift in Indian Companies in terms of the following:

Among developing economies, Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRIC nations) have emerged as an economic force accounting for 41% of the world's population and 8% of its GDP. The BRIC countries are significant because of their size and fast-paced economic growth. Goldman Sachs predicts they will overtake the G7 economies in terms of output by 2040. These nations are geographically large and resource rich, with growth fueled by large inflows of foreign investment. They vigorously pursue ambitious reform agendas and are fast becoming regional economic powers.

India is 4th largest economy in the world. On a Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) basis it enjoys an adjusted GDP of US$ 2.9 trillion. It boasts of positive work ethics and conservative attitude towards spending as following statistics reveal: