Direct investments made overseas by Indian companies declined 57.3 per cent to $1.82 billion last month, the Reserve Bank data showed on Monday.
The investments made in January last year amounted to $4.25 billion. It is also lower than December's $2.49 billion.
Of the total overseas direct investment of $1.82 billion, $246.37 million came in the form of equity money and $483.78 million accrued from loans.
While the rest of $1.09 billion was the guarantee issued by the Indian firms in their foreign units.
Among a few major investors, Bharat Petrosources invested $721.42 million in four tranches in joint venture and wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia and Singapore.
Intas Pharmaceuticals invested $344.35 million in its fully owned unit in the UK, while ONGC Videsh put in a total of $52.59 million in four different joint ventures in Myanmar, Russia and Vietnam.
Reliance Industries invested $40 million in its wholly owned energy services unit in Singapore.