India is estimated to have received foreign direct investment inflows of over $8 billion in 2005-06, according to early estimates made by the Union ministry for commerce and industry.

FDI inflows -- including equity, reinvested earnings and other capital -- touched $8.3 billion in 2005-06, which is 50 per cent higher than the comparable $5.53 billion in 2004-05.

FDI inflows through the equity route alone (old definition) stood at $5.13 billion, which is the highest ever equity inflow in any year. This was 60 per cent higher than the FDI equity inflow in 2004-05.

The Union government has estimated that FDI inflows would cross $10 billion annually beginning 2006-07.

ProjectsToday adds: FDI inflows presented in the Statistics Section of www.projectstoday.com are based on official statistics available from Secretariat of Industrial Assistance (SIA). These figures represent only FDI inflows through the equity route. In July 2003, the definition of FDI inflows was expanded to include reinvested earnings and other equity-related capital inflows. Click here for full details on change in definition.