Introduction: The internationalization of Chinese and Indian firmstrends, motivations and strategy

The recent corporate evolution of China and India has been characterized by increased internationalization of firms in the form of significant outward foreign direct investment flows and overseas mergers and acquisitions. To provide a context for the papers in this ICC special issue 18:2 (2009), we outline the quantitative and qualitative patterns of internationalization activity of Chinese and Indian firms, identify factors that motivate these firms to invest overseas, and describe the internationalization strategies they have adopted.