Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia
South Asia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 40.94 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia stood at 40.94 billion BoP, current US$.
That represents a change of up 36.3% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia peaked at 66.89 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, -29.10 million BoP, current US$, in 1977.
South Asia ranks 24th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 45.16 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 47.96 million BoP, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 18.21 million BoP, current US$ | -62.0% |
| 1973 | 40.54 million BoP, current US$ | +122.6% |
| 1974 | 61.31 million BoP, current US$ | +51.2% |
| 1975 | -6.67 million BoP, current US$ | -110.9% |
| 1976 | -2.15 million BoP, current US$ | -67.8% |
| 1977 | -29.10 million BoP, current US$ | +1256.3% |
| 1978 | 28.64 million BoP, current US$ | -198.4% |
| 1979 | 88.57 million BoP, current US$ | +209.2% |
| 1980 | 130.85 million BoP, current US$ | +47.7% |
| 1981 | 146.28 million BoP, current US$ | +11.8% |
| 1982 | 139.70 million BoP, current US$ | -4.5% |
| 1983 | 43.46 million BoP, current US$ | -68.9% |
| 1984 | 52.11 million BoP, current US$ | +19.9% |
| 1985 | 127.45 million BoP, current US$ | +144.6% |
| 1986 | 156.46 million BoP, current US$ | +22.8% |
| 1987 | 281.52 million BoP, current US$ | +79.9% |
| 1988 | 140.69 million BoP, current US$ | -50.0% |
| 1989 | 276.91 million BoP, current US$ | +96.8% |
| 1990 | 296.42 million BoP, current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 132.60 million BoP, current US$ | -55.3% |
| 1992 | 409.46 million BoP, current US$ | +208.8% |
| 1993 | 765.80 million BoP, current US$ | +87.0% |
| 1994 | 1.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.4% |
| 1995 | 2.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +90.5% |
| 1996 | 2.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.2% |
| 1997 | 4.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +61.5% |
| 1998 | 3.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.2% |
| 1999 | 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.4% |
| 2000 | 4.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +59.7% |
| 2001 | 5.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.5% |
| 2002 | 5.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 4.23 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.8% |
| 2004 | 6.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.0% |
| 2005 | 8.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.4% |
| 2006 | 21.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +149.8% |
| 2007 | 26.69 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.9% |
| 2008 | 45.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +71.1% |
| 2009 | 37.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.8% |
| 2010 | 29.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.5% |
| 2011 | 39.27 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.2% |
| 2012 | 26.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.6% |
| 2013 | 32.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2014 | 38.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.5% |
| 2015 | 47.88 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.7% |
| 2016 | 48.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 43.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 46.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 54.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 2020 | 66.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.9% |
| 2021 | 47.89 billion BoP, current US$ | -28.4% |
| 2022 | 53.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.2% |
| 2023 | 31.12 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.5% |
| 2024 | 30.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.5% |
| 2025 | 40.94 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.25 million BoP, current US$ | -29.10 million BoP, current US$ | 88.57 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 149.54 million BoP, current US$ | 43.46 million BoP, current US$ | 281.52 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 132.60 million BoP, current US$ | 4.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.43 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 45.67 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 26.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 54.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 30.04 billion BoP, current US$ | 66.89 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 21 Indonesia 22.28 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 22 Viet Nam 20.17 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 23 Poland 20.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 24 Sweden 19.15 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 25 Thailand 18.84 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 26 Denmark 18.24 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 27 Republic of Korea 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for South Asia
- Manufacturing, value added 656.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 910.51 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 6.5% (2025)
- Imports of goods and services 23.5% (2025)
- External balance on goods and services -2.4% (2025)
- Trade in services 14.5% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 587.10 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.4% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 8.2% (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added 1.16 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in South Asia was 40.94 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 66.89 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was -29.10 million BoP, current US$ in 1977.
- How does South Asia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- South Asia ranks 24th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.