When a business spans India and another country — a foreign company entering India, an Indian company expanding abroad, or a group running entities in both — the compliance is not one country's rulebook but two, working together. We coordinate the India side of cross-border structures: setting up the right India entity, handling the FEMA reporting that connects the entities, and keeping a multi-country group's Indian companies clean and in sync.

What we coordinate

• India entry — choosing and setting up the right vehicle for a foreign company: a subsidiary, a branch office or a liaison office. Our guide compares branch office vs subsidiary vs liaison office.
• Overseas expansion — the Indian-side compliance when an Indian company invests in or sets up an entity abroad. See how an Indian company makes an overseas investment (ODI).
• Inbound and outbound FEMA reporting — FC-GPR, FC-TRS and FLA for foreign investment into the Indian entity; Form FC and Annual Performance Reports for overseas investment out.
• Group structure and flip questions — including Delaware-flip and holding-company structures, assessed honestly for tax and FEMA consequences before anything is committed.
• Multi-entity secretarial management — keeping each Indian company in a cross-border group on its own compliance calendar, with consistent records.

Why the India side needs its own owner

In a cross-border group, the foreign counsel handles their jurisdiction and assumes the India side is covered — and the India side assumes the same in reverse. FEMA filings, the resident-director requirement, board processes and annual filings for the Indian entities then fall between the two. A named owner for the India compliance is what keeps the structure clean. Every Indian company, including a foreign subsidiary, needs a resident director.

Who this is for

Foreign companies setting up in India, Indian startups with overseas investors or a foreign holding company, Indian companies opening a subsidiary abroad, and groups managing entities across India and other countries. It pairs closely with our FEMA and subsidiary services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way for a foreign company to set up in India?

It depends on intent — a liaison office for market research with no income, a branch office for a defined trading or service activity, or a subsidiary for a full operating business. Most companies planning sustained operations choose an Indian subsidiary, which is taxed at the domestic rate.

How does an Indian company set up an overseas subsidiary?

Through the FEMA Overseas Investment route — the investment is routed via the AD bank, reported to the RBI in Form FC, the foreign entity gets a Unique Identification Number, and an Annual Performance Report is filed each year.

How do I manage compliance across Indian and foreign group entities?

Give the India side a named owner. Each Indian entity needs its own ROC filings, board processes, resident director and FEMA reporting — coordinated with, but separate from, the foreign entities' obligations.

What is a Delaware flip?

A Delaware flip restructures a startup so a US (Delaware) company becomes the parent and the Indian company its subsidiary. It has significant tax and FEMA consequences in both countries and should be assessed carefully before it is done.

Coordinate your cross-border structure

If your business spans India and another country, get in touch to put the India side on solid ground.