Wholly owned subsidiaries, branch offices and liaison offices — registered with the right FDI route and full RBI/FEMA compliance.
Foreign company registration in India means establishing a legal presence — through a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Branch Office, Liaison Office or Project Office — chosen based on the parent company's intended activities, with each structure carrying different FDI, RBI and tax implications.
The right structure depends entirely on what your company plans to do in India. If you want to sell, hire, invoice and operate fully, a Wholly Owned Subsidiary (a Private Limited Company) is almost always the correct choice — it's a separate legal entity with limited liability protection for the parent. If you only need a representative presence to liaise with Indian partners or explore the market, a Liaison Office is more appropriate but cannot generate revenue. A Branch Office sits in between, permitted specific activities like export/import trading or professional consulting, but requires prior RBI approval.
India Easy advises on the optimal structure upfront — getting this wrong is expensive and slow to unwind — then manages the full registration, RBI filings and ongoing FEMA compliance.
| Feature | Subsidiary | Branch Office | Liaison Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can generate revenue | Yes | Limited activities only | No |
| RBI approval needed | Usually not (automatic route) | Yes | Yes |
| Legal entity | Separate Indian entity | Extension of parent | Extension of parent |
| Best for | Full India operations | Specific services, trading | Market research, representation |
We recommend the right structure for your intended activities.
Approvals filed where required (branch/liaison offices).
Entity registered with MCA; PAN, TAN and GST obtained.
FC-GPR, FLA and annual filings managed proactively.
A Netherlands-based industrial equipment manufacturer wanted to explore the Indian market before committing capital. We secured RBI approval for a liaison office, handled the AD bank documentation, and had the office operational within 7 weeks — enabling market research and client relationship building ahead of a future subsidiary decision.