Foreign Investment in India Slows

 NEW DELHI — Foreign investment in India has slowed down in recent months, but a recent United Nations survey says Asia's third largest economy continues to be an attractive investment destination for global companies.

Official data show that in April and May, foreign direct investment in India slumped¹ by nearly 40 percent, falling from more than $5 billion during the same period last year to $3.2 billion.

Economists² say a weakening global and domestic economy is only partly to blame.

N.R. Bhanumurthy with New Delhi's National Institute for Public Finance and Policy, says the slow pace of reforms and policy reversals in recent months have frustrated³ many foreign investors⁴. He points out that the government has many times promised to push ahead with liberalizing sectors⁵ like retail⁶, aviation and insurance, but failed to deliver.

"You do have the intention, but you are not able to do and you are taking one step forward and you are coming two step backwards," noted⁷ Bhanumurthy .  "There is so much confusion which is affecting the overall foreign investment."Foreign investors have also been deterred⁸ by controversial tax proposals that have left them facing the prospect⁹ of paying billions of dollars in taxes they had not anticipated.

However, a recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has brought some cheer to Indian policymakers. It says India is the third most attractive destination for global corporations after China and the United States.

Proof that India remains¹¹ firmly on investors radar¹² came recently when two big foreign companies announced major investments in the country.

Furniture maker¹⁰ IKEA said last month it will invest nearly $2 billion in India to open 25 outlets¹³. Coca Cola, which is already present in India, plans to invest another $3 billion over the coming years.

Devangshu Dutta is head of the consulting firm, Third Eyesight, in New Delhi. Dutta says despite the recent slowdown, India remains attractive because it is a huge market.

"India is, continues to remain, in fact, one of the few large economies which is growing, and that is not something to sneeze at in the current economic scenario¹⁴ around the world," noted Dutta.  "Sometimes that fact tends to get swept under the carpet amidst all the gloom and doom¹⁵. The most important factor which is in India's favor is that it has a young population.  That means they are generating income when they become earning members of society and that money has got to get spent somewhere."The recent U.N. report estimates that foreign direct investment in India can rise by about 20 to 25 percent during the next two years.

Observers say that could happen if India addresses some of the concerns of foreign investors, who are looking for stable policies and more reforms.

1 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

2 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

5 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

13 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

15 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。