India Entry Services For Foreign Companies
The right structure, every approval in place, and one accountable team in India from day one.
Where Are You Right Now?
- Deciding between a subsidiary, a branch or a liaison office, and unsure which one fits
- Not sure if your sector allows 100% foreign ownership, or if you need government approval
- Stuck on paperwork: apostilled documents, a resident director, an Indian bank account
- Worried about RBI reporting deadlines you only heard about recently
- Need someone on the ground who answers to you, in your time zone and language
How A Foreign Company Can Enter India
A foreign company can enter India in two ways. It can set up an Indian entity, such as a wholly owned subsidiary, joint venture or LLP, which trades like any Indian business. Or it can open a liaison, branch or project office of the parent, which needs RBI approval through a bank and can only do what that approval allows.
Foreign direct investment then comes in through one of two routes. Most sectors allow up to 100% foreign ownership under the automatic route, with reporting to the RBI after the money arrives. Some sectors, and investors from countries that share a land border with India, need the government route, which means prior approval.
The hard part is rarely incorporation. It is choosing the right structure, then meeting company law, FEMA and tax rules together from month one.
“From 1 May 2026, beneficial ownership under Press Note 3 is tested using PMLA criteria. Investments that do not need prior approval but involve any ownership from a land-border country must now be reported to the RBI.”
Our India Entry Services
Hand us the whole journey or one piece of it. The Chartered Accountants who set up your entity also keep it compliant afterwards.
I
India Market Entry Strategy And Structure Advice
For companies that know they want India but have not chosen how.
A structure picked in a hurry is expensive to undo. We look at your plans, ownership, money flows and tax, then recommend the route that fits.
- Comparison of subsidiary, joint venture, LLP and office routes for your plans
- FDI route check: sector caps, conditions and approval needs
- Press Note 3 review if any owner is linked to a land-border country
- Tax impact, including DTAA benefits and profit repatriation options
- Capital plan: equity, loans and how funds should be routed
What you get: a written recommendation you can take to your board, with costs and timelines.
II
Company Incorporation And Office Registration In India
For companies ready to set up a subsidiary, joint venture, LLP or office.
We prepare and file everything and coordinate document legalisation in your country.
- Subsidiary or JV: name approval, DSC and DIN, MoA and AoA, SPICe+ filing with PAN and TAN
- LLP: incorporation and LLP agreement, where 100% FDI is allowed automatically
- Liaison, branch or project office: application to the RBI through an AD bank, then FC-1 with the ROC
- Checklist for notarised and apostilled parent documents
- Guidance on appointing a resident director
- Bank account opening for capital remittance
What you get: a legally formed Indian presence, ready to receive funds and start work.
III
FDI And FEMA Compliance
For companies sending capital into India, or already holding shares in an Indian entity.
Foreign investment reporting runs on short deadlines, and late fees grow with time. We track every remittance and filing on the RBI’s FIRMS portal.
- Share allotment within 60 days of receiving funds
- Form FC-GPR within 30 days of each allotment
- Annual FLA return to the RBI by 15 July
- FC-TRS on transfer of shares between residents and non-residents
- Annual activity certificates for liaison and branch offices
What you get: a clean FEMA record that holds up when you raise funds, repatriate profits or exit.
IV
Tax, Accounting And Compliance After Setup
For new Indian entities that need to run properly from day one.
Obligations start before your first sale. We set up your books and registrations, then handle the recurring work.
- GST, shops and establishments, professional tax and IEC registrations
- Bookkeeping, payroll, TDS and monthly reporting to head office
- Transfer pricing documentation and Form 3CEB for intercompany deals
- Statutory audit, income tax returns and ROC annual filings
What you get: an Indian entity that stays compliant while your team focuses on the business.
Already In India? Taking Over An Existing Entity's Compliance
Many foreign groups come to us after setup, when filings have slipped or an adviser has left. We review where you stand, fix the gaps and take over the ongoing work.
Not sure what is pending? Talk to our India entry team.
- Health check of ROC, FEMA, tax and transfer pricing filings
- Late FC-GPR and FLA filings, including late submission fees
- Compounding support for past FEMA contraventions
- Upgrading a liaison office to a subsidiary as operations grow
| Entry Structure | Best Suited For | Approval Needed | Can Earn Revenue In India? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholly Owned Subsidiary | Full control and long-term operations | None in automatic route sectors; RBI reporting after investment | Yes, any lawful activity within FDI rules |
| Joint Venture Company | Entering with an Indian partner | As above, subject to sector caps | Yes |
| LLP | Service businesses wanting a lighter structure | Only in sectors with 100% automatic route FDI | Yes |
| Branch Office | Export, import, consulting or technical support for the parent | RBI approval via AD bank; parent needs 5 years of profit and USD 100,000 net worth | Yes, only for permitted activities |
| Liaison Office | Testing the market and representing the parent | RBI approval via AD bank; parent needs 3 years of profit and USD 50,000 net worth | No |
| Project Office | Delivering a specific contract won in India | AD bank, linked to the contract | Yes, for that project only |
Still weighing your options? Talk to our India entry team.
How To Set Up A Company In India, Step By Step
A wholly owned subsidiary usually goes from first discussion to operating in 8 to 12 weeks.
1. Plan The Structure
Choose the entry route, confirm the FDI route for your sector and check for any Press Note 3 link.
Services: Entry Strategy
2. Prepare Documents
Board resolutions, parent incorporation papers and director IDs, notarised and apostilled or consularised.
Services: Incorporation
3. Incorporate
File SPICe+ for a company, or the RBI application for an office. Most companies are approved within a few weeks.
Services: Incorporation
4. Bring In Capital
Open the bank account, remit funds, allot shares within 60 days and file FC-GPR within 30 days of allotment.
Services: FDI And FEMA Compliance
5. Register To Operate
GST, shops and establishments, professional tax, IEC and any sector licence, with payroll and books set up.
Services: After Setup
6. First Year Compliance
First board meeting and auditor within 30 days, INC-20A within 180 days, FLA return by 15 July and transfer pricing filings.
Services: FDI And FEMA Compliance, After Setup
Tax, FEMA And Company Law In One Team
Entry decisions touch all three, so you do not have to coordinate separate advisers.
Why Foreign Companies Work With B.B. Mathur And Company
Setting up takes weeks. Running an Indian entity takes every year after that. As a Chartered Accountancy firm with decades of audit and tax practice, we stay with you for both.
We Speak Your Language
Our teams work in English, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, so your head office can discuss India in its own language.
A Single Point Of Contact
One named team owns your engagement and flags deadlines before they arrive.
India Entry FAQs
A foreign company can set up an Indian entity, such as a wholly owned subsidiary, a joint venture company or an LLP, or it can open a liaison office, branch office or project office of the parent. Entities are Indian businesses that can trade freely within FDI rules. Offices need RBI approval through an AD bank and can only carry out the activities that approval allows.
For most foreign companies planning long-term operations, a wholly owned subsidiary works best. It gives full control, limits the parent's liability and is taxed as a domestic company. A liaison office suits companies only testing the market, and a branch office suits limited activities such as export, import or technical support.
Yes, in most sectors. India allows up to 100% foreign ownership under the automatic route in most sectors, with reporting to the RBI after investment. Some sectors have caps or need government approval, and investors from countries sharing a land border with India face extra checks under Press Note 3.
Incorporating a private limited company usually takes a few weeks once documents are ready. Getting the entity fully operational, with a bank account, capital remitted and tax registrations in place, usually takes 8 to 12 weeks. The biggest variable is how quickly parent documents are notarised and apostilled abroad.
Yes. Every Indian company must have at least one director who has stayed in India for 182 days or more during the financial year. A private limited company also needs at least two directors and two shareholders. The resident director does not have to be an Indian citizen.
No. There is no minimum paid-up capital for a private limited company under the Companies Act, 2013. In practice, capital should cover your early costs, and some sectors have their own minimum capital rules. Liaison and branch offices instead need the parent to meet net worth and profit history conditions.
FC-GPR is the form an Indian company files on the RBI's FIRMS portal to report shares issued to a foreign investor. Shares must be allotted within 60 days of receiving the funds, and FC-GPR must be filed within 30 days of allotment. Late filing attracts a late submission fee that grows with the delay.
Press Note 3 requires government approval for investment where the investor, or its beneficial owner, is from a country that shares a land border with India. From 1 May 2026, beneficial ownership is tested using PMLA criteria, and investments that do not need approval but have any such ownership must be reported to the RBI. We check this at the start of every engagement.
A liaison office can only represent the parent, promote its products and collect market information. It cannot earn income in India. A branch office can earn income from permitted activities, such as export, import, consultancy and technical support, and is taxed as a foreign company. Both need RBI approval through an AD bank.
A subsidiary is taxed as a domestic company, at an effective rate of about 25.17% under the concessional regime. A branch office is taxed as a foreign company at 35% plus surcharge and cess. Transactions between the Indian business and the parent must follow transfer pricing rules, and a DTAA may reduce tax on dividends, royalties and fees.
Have a question about your own plans for India? Talk to our India entry team.
Start Your India Business On The Right Footing
Tell us your plans for India. We will recommend a structure, list what you need and give you a realistic timeline.
