New Delhi: Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said in the Lok Sabha on May 2 there was no significant impact of the US-led war on Iraq on India's foreign exchange earnings. It also did not affect the country's exports and imports with both registering growth rates of 19.67 and 18.76 per cent respectively.

In reply to another question, Singh said the overall investment climate in certain states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have led to concentration of foreign direct investment (FDI).

Government has put in place a liberal FDI policy and most of the sectors have been placed under the automatic route, barring a small negative list, he said during Question Hour.

Maharashtra led all states with FDI inflow worth Rs 4,866 crore in 2002, followed by Delhi with Rs 2994 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 1341 crore and Karnataka Rs 893 crore, he said, adding the total FDI inflow in the year stood at Rs 16,123.35 crore compared with Rs 15,841.90 crore in the previous year.

PTI