Context: Recently, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's (UNCTAD) released its World Investment Report.

Key highlights

• India moved one place up to be ranked 7th in the rankings.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India declined to $45 billion in 2021 from $64 billion in the preceding year.
• US topped the list, followed by China.
• China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia accounted for more than 80% of FDI to South Asia.
• Outward FDI from South Asia, mainly from India, rose 43% to $16 billion.

World Investment Report

• The World Investment Report focuses on trends in foreign direct investment (FDI) worldwide, at the regional and country levels and emerging measures to improve its contribution to development.
• It also provides analysis on global value chains and the operations of multinational enterprises, with special attention to their development implications.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• UNCTAD is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
• Its headquarters is situated in Geneva, Switzerland.
• India is one of the founding members of the organization.

Objective

• To maximize the trade, investment and development opportunities of developing countries and assist them in their efforts to integrate into the world economy on an equitable basis.
• To formulate policies relating to all aspects of development including trade, aid, transport, finance and technology.

Reports published by UNCTAD

• Trade and Development Report
• World Investment Report
• The Least Developed Countries Report
• Information and Economy Report
• Technology and Innovation Report
• Commodities and Development Report