India · Corporate & Commercial

Corporate and Commercial

Full-service corporate and commercial advisory at every stage of the India journey — from company incorporation and FDI structuring through to mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and ongoing governance and compliance. Our India-enrolled advocates work from precise knowledge of the Companies Act 2013, FEMA and India's FDI policy. For businesses entering India and Indian companies building cross-border structures, a dual India–UAE presence delivers one advisory relationship across both jurisdictions.

The framework we work in

Companies Act 2013

Incorporation, governance & MCA / ROC filings

FEMA & FDI

Administered by DPIIT & the RBI — automatic and government routes

MCA, RBI, SEBI & CCI

India's company, banking, securities and competition regulators

Advocates

India-enrolled, Bengaluru office

01 — Our services

From entry to ongoing compliance.

Every engagement draws on precise knowledge of the Companies Act 2013, India's FDI policy under FEMA, and the regulators relevant to each mandate — for first-time entrants, established multinationals, GCC investors and Indian companies scaling abroad.

Business formation & structuring

Selecting and establishing the right India entity — the first and most consequential decision for any foreign investor.

Entity selection — wholly owned subsidiaries (WOS), limited liability partnerships (LLP), branch, liaison and project offices, and joint ventures, weighed against sectoral FDI caps, repatriation needs, liability profile and operational intent.
Incorporation — the complete process: Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) filings, PAN and TAN registration, and RBI notifications under FEMA.
Post-incorporation compliance — statutory registers, filings and ongoing obligations from day one.

FDI & regulatory advisory

Foreign Direct Investment advice under the framework administered jointly by the DPIIT and the Reserve Bank of India under FEMA.

Sectoral caps & routes — the distinction between the automatic and government-approval routes, and which applies to your sector.
Pricing & structures — pricing guidelines for share transfers, downstream investment structures and reporting obligations.
UAE-routed investment — coordinated advice for cross-border investment structured through the UAE, a growing route for European capital.

Mergers, acquisitions & restructuring

The full M&A lifecycle in India — for acquirers, targets and financial investors.

Deal structuring & due diligence — pre-deal structuring through to multi-jurisdictional due diligence.
Transaction documentation — share and asset purchase agreements and ancillary documents.
Clearances — notifications to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) where applicable, and NCLT-sanctioned mergers under the Companies Act 2013.
Integration — governance of post-acquisition integration in compliance with Indian law.

Commercial contracts & agreements

The contracts that underpin every business relationship in India, structured under the Indian Contract Act 1872.

The full range — distribution, agency and franchise agreements, manufacturing arrangements, technology licensing and service contracts.
Calibrated drafting — drafted, reviewed and negotiated against sector-specific risk.
Built to hold — structured to stand before both the Indian courts and international arbitration.

Corporate governance & compliance

Meeting the detailed governance obligations the Companies Act 2013 imposes on domestic and foreign-owned Indian entities.

Board & director advisory — board composition, director duties and related-party transaction approvals.
Statutory compliance — filings with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and annual compliance.
Listed entities — SEBI disclosure obligations and the expectations of international shareholders.

Regulatory & government liaison

Navigating India’s layered approval and licensing environment on a client’s behalf.

Authorities — the Registrar of Companies (ROC), the RBI, SEBI, sector-specific regulators, and SEZ and GIFT City authorities.
Applications & filings — licence applications, approvals, periodic filings and compliance reviews.

The India–UAE corridor

One relationship, both jurisdictions.

For businesses operating across India and the UAE, a single advisory relationship covers company law, FDI and regulatory compliance in both jurisdictions without duplication — a structural advantage no single-jurisdiction firm can replicate, and particularly valuable for the growing number of European companies that enter India through a UAE holding structure.

Our UAE corporate practice →

02 — Representative experience

A sample of recent matters.

Share acquisition advisory. Acted on share acquisitions of listed and unlisted entities across multiple jurisdictions and structures — transaction structuring, Share Purchase Agreements and ancillary documents, and full compliance under the Companies Act 2013 and FEMA.

Restructuring & RBI compliance. Advised regulated financial services entities on internal restructuring — governance frameworks and renegotiated internal agreements — with ongoing support for Reserve Bank of India (RBI) compliance.

Investment advisory. Advised private limited companies and regulated financial entities on fund-raising and investment transactions — deal structuring and Investment Agreements in line with SEBI and RBI guidelines.

Cross-border joint ventures. Advised business groups on cross-border transactions and joint ventures with entities in Cyprus, Hong Kong, Korea and Mozambique — structuring, document vetting, coordination with international counsel, and approvals for multimillion-dollar ventures.

Representative matters. Some details are withheld for client confidentiality.

03 — How we work

Structured, not templated.

No templates — every structure and document is built for the client's ownership, objectives and risk.

Structure

The right entity and FDI route for your sector, investment size and long-term India objectives.

Establish

Incorporation, MCA filings, PAN/TAN and RBI notifications under FEMA, through to post-incorporation compliance.

Transact

Contracts, acquisitions, joint ventures and investment agreements, with clearances where required.

Maintain

Governance, statutory filings, SEBI disclosure and ongoing regulatory liaison.

04 — Frequently asked questions

India corporate, answered.

Do you handle cross-border M&A transactions involving India?

Yes. We regularly advise where either the acquirer or the target has connections across India, the UAE, Europe or other jurisdictions — supporting FEMA compliance, FDI pricing guidelines, Competition Commission of India (CCI) filings where required, and multi-jurisdictional due diligence. Our dual India–UAE presence is particularly relevant for GCC-based acquirers entering India and for European companies routing investments through UAE holding structures.

What entity structures are available to foreign companies entering India?

A wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) incorporated as a private limited company, a limited liability partnership (LLP), a branch office, a liaison office, or a project office. Each carries different implications for FDI approval routes, repatriation of profits, liability exposure and operational scope. We advise on the optimal structure for your sector, investment size and long-term India objectives.

What FDI approvals are required to invest in India?

Most sectors allow FDI under the automatic route — no prior government approval, with notification to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after the investment. Certain sectors — defence, media, telecommunications and financial services — require prior approval under the government route administered by the DPIIT. We advise on which route applies, prepare the filings and manage the regulatory interface throughout.