Setting up in India: subsidiary, branch or liaison office?

The hard part of entering India is not incorporation. It is choosing between a subsidiary, a branch, a liaison office and a project office; confirming the sector route before capital moves; getting the pricing right; and reporting the investment to the RBI inside the prescribed window.

A wholly owned subsidiary is usually the default for operating businesses. A liaison office is narrow in purpose. A branch office can trade but sits under a different regulatory track. Getting the route wrong is expensive to unwind.

We advise foreign parents on establishing and running Indian entities — start with Incorporation and Corporate Advisory.