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Hisho & Kanri
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We provide accounting, compliance,
and advisory services.

Indian Subsidiary Registration

Set up your Indian Subsidiary and enter one of the world's fastest-growing markets.

An Indian subsidiary is a company incorporated in India — typically as a Private Limited Company under the Companies Act, 2013 — that is majority or wholly owned by a foreign parent. It gives your global business a fully local legal identity: one that can sign contracts, hire employees, lease office space, open bank accounts, bill customers in rupees, and build an on-ground presence that a liaison or branch office simply can't.

For most foreign parents, a Wholly Owned Subsidiary is the fastest way to convert Indian market interest into an operating business — with 100% foreign direct investment permitted under the automatic route in most sectors, no prior RBI approval, and direct access to India's talent pool, manufacturing base, and 1.4-billion-strong consumer market.

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The Corporate Structure
Foreign Parent Company
FDI: Automatic Route
Indian Subsidiary
FEMA / RBI Reporting
Registrar of Companies · India
Certificate of Incorporation
Wholly Owned Subsidiary, duly incorporated in India
Entity TypePrivate Limited (WOS)
FDI RouteAutomatic
StatusActive
Filed ByHisho & Kanri
How to read this: capital flows down from your foreign parent, through the FDI automatic route, into a fully incorporated Indian entity that reports back to the RBI and Registrar of Companies.
SPICe+ GST DPIIT
Entry Structures

Which India entry structure fits your global strategy?

Every foreign company chooses between a handful of ways to establish a footprint in India — each trading off differently on ownership, liability, compliance load, and whether you can invoice locally at all. Here's the full lineup.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary (Pvt Ltd)

A private limited company where 100% of shares are held by the foreign parent — the fastest, most flexible route to full market entry with limited liability.

Most Popular

Joint Venture Company

Co-owned with an Indian partner, pairing foreign capital and technology with local market knowledge, distribution networks, and regulatory relationships.

LLP with Foreign Investment

Permitted with 100% FDI in sectors under the automatic route, with a lighter compliance load than a company — well suited to service-only operations.

Branch Office

Lets an established foreign company carry out permitted commercial activities in India without incorporating a separate entity, subject to RBI approval.

Liaison Office

A no-revenue presence for market research, coordination, and relationship-building only — it cannot invoice, trade, or earn income in India.

Project Office

Set up for the duration of a specific contract awarded to the foreign company by an Indian entity — common in infrastructure and engineering projects.

Public Limited Subsidiary

Suited to larger foreign groups planning wider share distribution or an eventual public listing of their Indian operations.

Franchise / Distributor Arrangement

A lighter, non-equity way to test the Indian market through a local partner before committing to a fully owned subsidiary.

The Process

From parent board resolution to a fully operational Indian entity

Here's exactly what happens between your parent company deciding to enter India and your subsidiary being incorporated, funded, and compliant.

1

Entry Structure & FDI Route Selection

We assess your sector, ownership plans, and India's FDI policy to recommend the right entity type and the automatic vs. government approval route.

2

Digital Signature & Director Identification

Proposed Indian directors obtain their Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and Director Identification Number (DIN) ahead of filing.

3

Name Reservation (SPICe+ Part A)

We reserve your subsidiary's name with the Registrar of Companies, checking it against existing companies, LLPs, and trademarks.

4

MOA, AOA & Parent Board Resolution

Memorandum and Articles of Association are drafted alongside the parent company's authorising board resolution and subscriber documents.

5

SPICe+ Incorporation Filing

The complete incorporation application, along with PAN, TAN, EPFO, and ESIC registrations, is filed in a single integrated form.

6

Certificate of Incorporation & CIN

The Registrar issues the Certificate of Incorporation along with your Corporate Identification Number (CIN), legally establishing the subsidiary.

7

Inward Remittance & FDI Reporting (FC-GPR)

Share capital is remitted from the parent company and reported to the RBI via Form FC-GPR within the prescribed 30-day window.

8

GST, Bank Account & Operational Readiness

GST registration, current account activation, and statutory registers are completed so the subsidiary can start invoicing and hiring.

Eligibility

What a foreign parent needs before incorporating in India

Requirements vary by sector and FDI route, but nearly every Indian subsidiary incorporation shares this baseline.

At Least One Resident Director

One director must have resided in India for 182+ days in the preceding financial year; other directors may be based abroad.

Registered Office in India

A verifiable Indian address — leased, owned, or a compliant registered virtual office — to serve as the subsidiary's registered office.

Sector Permitted Under FDI Policy

The business activity must be allowed under India's FDI policy, either via the automatic route or with prior government approval.

Valid Parent Company Documents

Certificate of incorporation, charter documents, and board resolution from the parent, apostilled or notarised as required.

Identity Proof for All Directors

A valid passport is mandatory for foreign directors, with Indian KYC (PAN, Aadhaar) required for resident directors.

Unique, Compliant Company Name

A proposed name that isn't identical or deceptively similar to an existing Indian company, LLP, or trademark.

Paperwork

Documents to prepare on both sides of the border

Gathering parent-company and director documents in parallel — including apostille where required — is what keeps this process to weeks, not months.

Parent's Incorporation Certificate

Apostilled or notarised copy

Parent Board Resolution

Authorising the Indian subsidiary

Charter Documents

Parent's MOA / AOA equivalent

Directors' Passports

For all foreign national directors

PAN & Aadhaar

For resident Indian directors

Registered Office Proof

Rent agreement, utility bill or NOC

Digital Signature Certificates

Issued to all proposed directors

Banker's Reference Letter

From the parent's bank, if required

Why Set Up in India

What an Indian subsidiary unlocks for your global business

Beyond market access, incorporating locally changes how — and how fast — your business can operate on the ground in India.

Limited Liability

The parent's exposure is capped at its shareholding in the subsidiary

100% FDI in Most Sectors

Full foreign ownership under the automatic route, no prior approval

Local Invoicing & Contracting

Bill Indian customers in rupees and sign enforceable local contracts

Direct Hiring & Payroll

Employ staff directly under Indian labour law, at scale

Tax Treaty Benefits

Access to India's tax treaties with 90+ countries

Access to Talent & Manufacturing

India's engineering, IT, and manufacturing base at scale

Easier Institutional Banking

Full-service current accounts, credit lines, and trade finance

Stronger Local Credibility

Enterprises, distributors, and tenders prefer an incorporated entity

After Registration

Staying compliant as a foreign-owned Indian entity

An Indian subsidiary carries every obligation of a domestic company, plus additional foreign-exchange reporting because of its FDI ownership.

FC-GPR Filing

Reporting share allotments to foreign shareholders to the RBI within 30 days.

Annual FLA Return

Foreign Liabilities and Assets return filed annually with the RBI by 15 July.

Annual ROC Filing

Financial statements and annual return filed with the Registrar of Companies.

Income Tax & Transfer Pricing

Corporate tax filing plus transfer pricing documentation for parent transactions.

GST Compliance

Monthly or quarterly GST returns wherever the subsidiary is GST-registered.

Statutory Audit

Mandatory audit of accounts by a practising chartered accountant.

Why Hisho & Kanri

Cross-border incorporation handled by people who do it every week

We've set up subsidiaries for foreign parents across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific — and stay on for the FEMA and RBI compliance that follows.

Cross-Border Specialists

Chartered accountants and company secretaries fluent in FEMA, RBI, and Companies Act filings.

Fast, Parallel Processing

Parent-side and India-side paperwork run together, not one after the other.

Time-Zone Friendly Support

Structured for founders and finance teams working across time zones.

Transparent Visibility

Every filing and RBI reporting deadline tracked and shared with you.

Single Point of Contact

One advisor from structuring through incorporation and ongoing compliance.

Confidential Handling

Parent company and director documents handled under strict confidentiality.

FAQ

Common questions about Indian subsidiary registration

Can't find your question here? Use the form alongside this page and we'll answer it directly.

A company incorporated in India under the Companies Act, 2013, in which a foreign parent holds a majority or all of the shares — giving the parent a locally incorporated, separately liable operating entity.

Yes. In most sectors, 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route with no prior government approval; a few sectors carry caps or require approval.

Yes — every Indian subsidiary must have at least one director who has resided in India for 182 days or more in the preceding financial year.

Typically 10–20 working days once the parent company's documents are apostilled and available, though timelines vary by sector and document readiness.

It's the RBI form that reports allotment of shares to foreign shareholders, filed within 30 days of the share allotment date.

If the parent is incorporated in a Hague Convention country, its charter documents and board resolution must be apostilled — or otherwise consularised — before use in India.

Yes. Dividends can be freely repatriated after applicable taxes, subject to standard FEMA reporting requirements.

A subsidiary is a separate Indian legal entity with limited liability; a branch office is an extension of the foreign parent, permitted only for specific activities and requiring RBI approval.

A registered office address is mandatory, but a compliant virtual or shared registered-office arrangement often works — we can confirm what fits your plan.

Because we run parent-side and India-side filings in parallel, track every FEMA and RBI deadline after incorporation, and give you one advisor throughout.