Introduction

Infrastructure sector is a key driver for the Indian economy. The sector is highly responsible for propelling India’s overall development and enjoys intense focus from Government for initiating policies that would ensure time-bound creation of world class infrastructure in the country. Infrastructure sector includes power, bridges, dams, roads and urban infrastructure development. In 2016, India jumped 19 places in World Bank's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2016, to rank 35th amongst 160 countries.

Market Size

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) received in Construction Development sector (townships, housing, built up infrastructure and construction development projects) from April 2000 to December 2017 stood at US$ 24.67 billion, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The logistics sector in India is expected to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.5 per cent, from US$ 160 billion in 2017 to US$ 215 billion by 2020.

Investments

India has a requirement of investment worth Rs 50 trillion (US$ 777.73 billion) in infrastructure by 2022 to have sustainable development in the country. India is witnessing significant interest from international investors in the infrastructure space. Some key investments in the sector are listed below.

• In February 2018, the Government of India signed a loan agreement worth US$ 345 million with the New Development Bank (NDB) for the Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for desert areas.
• In January 2018, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) partnered with UAE-based DP World to create a platform that will mobilise investments worth US$ 3 billion into ports, terminals, transportation, and logistics businesses in India.

Government Initiatives

The Government of India is expected to invest highly in the infrastructure sector, mainly highways, renewable energy and urban transport, prior to the general elections in 2019.

The Government of India is taking every possible initiative to boost the infrastructure sector. Some of the steps taken in the recent past are being discussed hereafter.

• Announcements in Union Budget 2018-19:
  • Massive push to the infrastructure sector by allocating Rs 5.97 lakh crore (US$ 92.22 billion) for the sector.
  • Railways received the highest ever budgetary allocation of Rs 1.48 trillion (US$ 22.86 billion).
  • Rs 16,000 crore (US$2.47 billion) towards Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya) scheme. The scheme aims to achieve universal household electrification in the country.
  • Rs 4,200 crore (US$ 648.75 billion) to increase capacity of Green Energy Corridor Project along with other wind and solar power projects.
  • Allocation of Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 1.55 billion) to boost telecom infrastructure.
• The 90 smart cities shortlisted by the Government of India have proposed projects with investments of Rs 191,155 crore (US$ 30.02 billion) which include Projects Focusing on Revamping an Identified Area (Area Based Projects) with investment of Rs 152,500 crore (US$ 23.95 billion).
• Contracts awarded under the Smart Cities Mission would show results by June 2018 as the work is already in full swing, according to Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
• The Government of India is working to ensure a good living habitat for the poor in the country and has launched new flagship urban missions like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) under the urban habitat model, according to Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing

Road Ahead

India’s national highway network is expected to cover 50,000 kilometres by 2019, with around 20,000 km of works scheduled for completion in the next couple of years, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The Government of India is devising a plan to provide wifi facility to 550,000 villages by March 2019 for an estimated cost of Rs 3,700 crore (US$ 577.88 million), as per the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.

India and Japan have joined hands for infrastructure development in India's north-eastern states and are also setting up an India-Japan Coordination Forum for Development of North East to undertake strategic infrastructure projects in the northeast.

Exchange Rate Used: INR 1 = US$ 0.0155 as of March 04, 2018.