Which Countries Invested the Most Abroad in 2024 and Where does India Rank in Global FDI Outflows?

Key Takeaways

• The US led global FDI outflows in 2024 with $266 billion, followed by Japan at $204 billion and China at $163 billion. Six countries sent out over $915 billion, more than half of the $1.7 trillion invested across borders that year.
   
• India’s outward investment jumped from $14 billion in 2023 to $24 billion in 2024, putting it at rank 20 among the world’s biggest sources of foreign investment.

US Invested $266 Billion Abroad in 2024: Why Are the Largest Economies Slowing Down their Investment Overseas? 

Six countries are exporting over half the world’s cross border investment. That is not random. The numbers indicate where capital is focused, where companies are large enough to grow abroad and which governments will encourage it. India isn’t quite in that group of six, but its getting closer than it was three years ago. 

The problem for India is timing. US companies pulled back too, with American FDI outflows falling more than 25% from 2023. Over half of US greenfield investments went into America itself rather than abroad. When the world’s biggest investor turns inward, less money flows to places like India.

India Sent $24 Billion Abroad in 2024: Is Outward Investment helping or hurting the Indian Economy? 

Here is where the top investors stood in 2024:

$87 billion

Canada

$86 billion

India

$24 billion (Rank 20)

Indian companies are now buying copper mines in Zambia. Greenfield projects by Indian investors went up 20% in 2024. That is Indian companies growing globally, which builds long-term returns. But every rupee going abroad is a rupee not building factories or hiring workers at home.

On the other side, India pulled in $50 billion in FDI equity inflows in FY25, up 13% from the previous year. So, India is both sending and receiving more capital. That is what a maturing economy looks like.