Services
Foreign company registration in India.
Setting up in India means choosing a structure, meeting a few legal tests and filing in the right order. We take you through it online, with our chartered accountant partners, from the first call to your first filings.
Who it's for
Is this the right fit for you?
- Overseas companies setting up a subsidiary in India
- Founders abroad who want an Indian company or LLP with foreign owners
- Foreign-owned businesses that plan to trade, hire and invoice in India
- Teams still deciding which route fits
What's included
Two ways to set up in India.
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A subsidiary company
An Indian company owned by your foreign parent, set up as a Private Limited company. It is a company in its own right under the Companies Act. A good fit for a business that plans to trade, hire and invoice here.
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An LLP
A limited liability partnership with foreign partners. Foreign investment in LLPs is allowed on the automatic route in sectors where full foreign investment is allowed on that route and no FDI-linked performance conditions apply. We check your sector.
Other routes exist for foreign companies besides a company or an LLP. Tell us what you plan on the first call. Compliance questions are handled with our chartered accountant partners.
Living abroad and starting a company yourself? See company registration for NRIs.
Before you decide
Which sectors are open to foreign investment.
India's foreign investment policy sorts sectors into three groups.
In many sectors, investment is allowed on the automatic route, which needs no prior approval. In sectors the policy does not list separately, investment up to the full amount is allowed on the automatic route, subject to applicable laws and other conditions. Some sectors need the Government's approval first. A few are closed to foreign investment, such as lottery, gambling and betting, chit funds, Nidhi companies and trading in transferable development rights. Extra conditions can also apply depending on the investor's country.
The policy is published by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). We check your sector against the current version on the first call.
The legal basics
What an Indian company needs.
- At least two persons to form a private company
- At least two directors, and at least one who stays in India for 182 days or more in the financial year. For a company formed during a year, this applies in proportion at the end of that year
- A registered office in India, with proof of the address
- Identity and address proof for the people who form the company and for its first directors who do not already hold a Director Identification Number
- A Director Identification Number for each director, and a digital signature certificate for each director and each person who signs the memorandum
- A company name that is not identical to, or too close to, the name of an existing company, and that ends in "Private Limited" for a private limited company
The exact list depends on your structure, and we confirm it on the first call.
Registering a company in India as a resident? See business registration.
Papers you sign abroad.
Documents signed outside India usually need to be attested before they are filed. The MCA's FAQs say how depends on the country where the signer lives. It can be a notary public, a notary with an apostille under the Hague Convention, or a notary with authentication by the Indian embassy. For a foreign national who signs as a subscriber, the filing asks for a valid business visa. Without one, apostilled incorporation documents are attached instead.
We tell you exactly what applies to your country before you sign anything.
How it works
Four simple steps.
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Step 1: Free consultation call
Tell us your plans, your sector and who will own the company. We suggest the route that fits.
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Step 2: Documents
We list exactly what we need, including which papers must be authenticated in your country, and help you gather it.
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Step 3: Filing
We prepare and file, with our chartered accountant partners, and keep you posted.
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Step 4: Ready to trade
You receive your registration documents and a simple plan for your first filings.
Everything on our side happens online. We meet on Google Meet, by appointment, at times that suit you.
Setting up is the start.
Accounts, tax and compliance come next. We handle them with our chartered accountant partners, so you keep one point of contact.
Rules on investment from abroad depend on your case and your sector. We confirm what applies to you in your consultation.
See our Tax & GST Filing page.
Related services
Where to go next.
Many owners combine these, one step at a time.
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Accounting & Payroll
Books kept up to date, salaries paid right, one clear monthly report.
Learn More -
Audit & Compliance
Audits and company filings, signed by qualified chartered accountants.
Learn More -
GST for NRIs and foreign companies
GST registration prepared online with our chartered accountant partners.
Learn More
FAQ
Questions we hear often.
Can't find your answer? Call us or message us on WhatsApp.
Can a foreign company wholly own an Indian company?
Do we need a director in India?
Do we need to travel to India?
What is the difference between a subsidiary and an LLP?
Do we need a registered office in India?
How long does it take?
Which documents need to be authenticated abroad?
Do you also handle GST?
Who looks after the books and taxes afterwards?
Last checked: 9 November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm what applies to your business in your consultation.
You focus on your business.
Tell us a little about your business and we will call you to talk it through, including how your accounts, tax, tech and marketing are handled today. Find out what your current setup really costs you, in money, time and effort. Free, no obligation.
