India Market Entry
Advisory Services
India market entry is a strategic decision before it is a compliance exercise. We help global companies design the right structure, choose the right route, and avoid the mistakes that create years of audit exposure.
What it is
More than incorporation
India market entry advisory covers everything that happens before the first document is filed. The entity type, FDI route, transfer pricing model, DTAA structure, and intercompany framework must be decided in the right sequence – because getting any one of them wrong creates restructuring work that typically costs 3–5x more than getting it right at inception.
Most CA firms start with incorporation. We start with strategy. A 45-minute conversation about your business model, sector, headcount plans, and intercompany flows determines whether you need a WOS, a branch, a GCC, or a combination. The incorporation follows once the structure is clear.
Our advisory work is led by Ex-Big 4 professionals – the same people who advise large multinationals on India entry. The difference is that we work with mid-market companies at fees that match mid-market reality.
The full scope of India market entry advisory
The companies we work with
You've decided to enter India. You need to know which entity to form, which FDI route applies to you, and what your transfer pricing obligations will be. We give you this picture in the first consultation – before any money is committed.
Your India entity is operational but the structure was set up without proper advice. Transfer pricing is undocumented, FEMA filings are missed, or the entity type is wrong. We assess, fix, and maintain.
Your sales or advisory team is operating in India without a formal entity. You have staff making decisions, signing contracts, or managing relationships in India. PE risk is building. We assess the exposure and design a structure that manages it.
You're setting up a 10–500 person India team to provide services to your global operations. The pricing model, entity structure, ESOP design, and compliance framework all need to be right from the start.
How we work — structure before filing
We ask about your business model, sector, headcount plans, and intercompany flows. You receive a preliminary structure recommendation and key questions to resolve before incorporation.
A short written summary of our recommendations – entity type, FDI route, DTAA considerations, transfer pricing approach, and next steps. Costs nothing.
If you proceed, we produce a full India entry advisory report – entity comparison, FDI route analysis, TP methodology, DTAA analysis, compliance schedule, and fee proposal.
We handle incorporation, FEMA filings, transfer pricing documentation, GST registration, payroll setup, and everything required to make the entity operational.
Monthly compliance (GST, TDS, payroll), annual filings (ITR, Form 3CEB, FLA Return), and advisory support for new transactions.
India market entry questions
Ideally 3–6 months before you plan to have your first India employee or generate your first India revenue. The structural decisions take time to document and execute correctly. Starting late forces shortcuts that create compliance exposure.
The initial 30-minute consultation is free. A full India entry advisory report – structure, FDI route, DTAA analysis, TP framework, compliance calendar – typically costs ₹75,000–₹1,50,000 depending on complexity. Implementation (incorporation + FEMA + TP documentation) is additional and separately quoted.
Yes – this is a significant part of our work. We assess existing structures for FDI compliance, transfer pricing gaps, FEMA violations, and entity type mismatch. Where issues are found, we design and implement a remediation plan including any necessary RBI compounding applications.
We handle the Indian side comprehensively. We regularly coordinate with US CPAs (on Form 5471 and GILTI), UK accountants (on UK TP documentation and CFC rules), and Singapore advisors (on substance requirements and DTAA claims). We provide an India advisory memo that your home country advisor can incorporate into their advice.
The depth of analysis is equivalent – our lead advisor spent 8 years doing exactly this work at KPMG. The difference is fees and accessibility. Big 4 India market entry engagements for mid-market companies typically cost ₹5–15 lakhs. Our equivalent engagement costs ₹1–3 lakhs. And every engagement is led by a qualified CA, not staffed to a junior team.