FDI Sector Checker
FDI Route
Checker
Find out whether foreign investors can invest in your company — and what the cap, route, and RBI filing requirements are for your sector.
Common sectors
Universal FDI compliance requirements
Pricing guidelines
Shares must be issued to foreign investors at or above the Fair Market Value (FMV) per Rule 11UA / DCF method for unlisted shares.
FC-GPR within 30 days
Every Indian company receiving foreign investment must file Form FC-GPR with the Authorised Dealer bank within 30 days of allotment.
Annual FLA return by 15 July
All Indian companies with outstanding FDI must file the Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) by 15th July each year.
Based on DPIIT Consolidated FDI Policy 2020 and subsequent RBI/Government circulars. Sectoral regulations and caps are subject to change — verify against the latest DPIIT circular before making investment decisions. This tool is for guidance only; consult a FEMA specialist for your specific transaction.
Common questions
FDI compliance, statute-cited.
What route does my FDI take?+
Under Rule 5 read with Schedule I of the FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules 2019, most sectors are on the automatic route and need no prior approval; regulated sectors (insurance, defence, telecom, media) have caps and fall partly on the government route requiring prior approval from the relevant ministry. The checker applies the Schedule I entry for your sector.
When is Form FC-GPR filed?+
Form FC-GPR must be filed with the RBI through an AD bank within 30 days of the date of allotment of shares to a foreign investor — not 30 days from receipt of funds — under the FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules 2019. Delayed reporting attracts the ₹7,500 per-return late submission fee under the RBI's 2022 LSF framework, in lieu of compounding for reporting delays.
What is the FLA annual return?+
The Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) return must be filed with the RBI by 15 July each year by every entity that has received FDI or made an overseas investment — even in a year with zero activity. Delayed filing attracts the ₹7,500 late submission fee under the 2022 LSF framework; persistent non-filing is a compoundable FEMA contravention under s.13 of FEMA 1999.
What pricing rules apply to shares issued to foreign investors?+
Shares issued to a foreign investor must not be priced below fair market value under Rule 21 of the FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules 2019, and for unlisted companies the FMV is computed per Rule 11UA of the Income-tax Rules 1962 (NAV or DCF method). Issuing below FMV can also trigger tax on the excess under s.56(2)(viib) of the Income-tax Act 1961 — though that provision is abolished for shares issued after 1 April 2024.
Which sectors are prohibited for FDI?+
FDI is prohibited in sectors listed in the FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules 2019, including lottery, gambling, chit funds, Nidhi companies, real estate trading, and the manufacture of cigars/cigarettes. The checker flags if your sector is prohibited before you structure the round, because a prohibited-sector investment cannot be regularised by compounding.