Europe–India focus

Company Registration in India from Europe

Planning company registration in India from Germany, France or elsewhere in Europe? This guide covers why European businesses are entering India now, what the Apostille process means for your paperwork, the entry structures available to you, and the practical steps involved in incorporation.

Why European businesses are entering India

On 27 January 2026, the European Commission and India concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement — a deal 20 years in the making, covering a combined market of around two billion consumers and expected to double EU exports to India by 2032. The agreement is politically concluded but not yet legally binding, with formal signing, ratification and implementation still to follow. Alongside India's scale, talent pool and expanding industrial base, this developing trade relationship is a strong signal for European businesses considering direct incorporation rather than working through intermediaries alone.

For country-specific detail — including bilateral trade and investment figures — see our dedicated guides to company registration in India from Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Documents for company registration in India from Europe: apostille, not embassy legalisation

India and the great majority of European countries, including the UK, Germany and France, are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. In practice, this means documents executed in Europe for Indian company registration — identity documents, board resolutions, powers of attorney — generally only need an apostille from the relevant national authority, rather than the more time-consuming embassy legalisation process required for non-member countries. We confirm the specific requirement for your country as part of your incorporation plan.

Entry structures for company registration in India from Europe

Most European companies choose a wholly owned subsidiary — a separate Indian company that gives you full operational control and can trade, hire and generate revenue directly. A Branch Office extends your existing European company into India for permitted activities such as consultancy, export/import or technical support, without incorporating a new entity. A Liaison Office suits businesses that only need a representative presence, for market research or coordinating with Indian partners, without conducting commercial activity. We help you work through which structure actually fits your plans, rather than defaulting to one.

One requirement that catches many European boards by surprise: under Section 149(3) of the Companies Act, 2013, every Indian company — including a wholly owned subsidiary with 100% European shareholding — needs at least one director who is resident in India for 182 days or more in the financial year, even if the rest of the board is entirely based in Europe. If your directors will only visit occasionally, this is usually addressed with a professional resident director alongside your own board.

See our complete guide to the resident director requirement for how it works, what it costs, and the three ways foreign companies typically satisfy it.

Once your subsidiary is running, two further annual filings apply on top of standard RoC compliance: the FLA Return to the RBI, and — if your Indian company transacts with its European parent, such as management fees or intercompany charges — Form 3CEB transfer pricing documentation. See our guide to FLA Return and transfer pricing compliance for the deadlines and what each actually requires.

For the full document checklist and how India's FDI automatic-vs-government-approval route split works by sector, see our step-by-step incorporation guide.

Company registration process in India from Europe, step by step

For a subsidiary, incorporation typically follows this sequence:

Obtain a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and Director Identification Number (DIN) for your directors.
Reserve your company name with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Prepare and apostille the required director and shareholder documents.
File the SPICe+ incorporation form and supporting documents.
Complete post-incorporation steps — PAN, TAN, a bank account and any applicable GST registration.

Branch, Liaison and Project Offices instead go through an RBI-authorised bank rather than the MCA. For the full walkthrough — DSC, DIN, SPICe+ filing and what happens after your Certificate of Incorporation — see our step-by-step incorporation guide.

FAQs: company registration in India from Europe

Do I need to travel to India for company registration in India from Europe? No — incorporation can be completed remotely. Company registration in India from Europe is done with documents apostilled in your home country and filings handled by your India-based team, with no travel required for the standard subsidiary route.

Can profits be repatriated back to Europe? Yes. Dividends from company registration in India from Europe are freely repatriable once withholding tax is deducted, and India’s tax treaty with your country can reduce the applicable rate.

Is there a minimum capital requirement? No. India abolished the minimum paid-up capital requirement for private limited companies years ago, so company registration in India from Europe can start with any authorised capital amount your business plan calls for.

How long does company registration in India from Europe take? Typically around 10–15 working days once your director and shareholder documents are apostilled and ready, covering DSC and DIN issuance, name approval and SPICe+ processing — though name-approval or document queries can extend this.

How much does company registration in India from Europe cost? The MCA government filing fee for the SPICe+ incorporation form itself is nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh — which covers most new subsidiaries outright — under Schedule I of the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014. On top of that, state stamp duty applies and varies depending on which Indian state you register your office in, plus DSC, apostille and professional fees. We quote a fixed total once we know your structure and registered office state.

Explore other markets

AU Corporate publishes dedicated guides for businesses entering India from other markets, and a full introduction to our team on the About AU Corporate page.

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