A branch office is not a separate company. It is the foreign company itself, operating in India, which means the parent carries the liability and the profits are taxed at the rate that applies to a foreign company. It suits some cases well and is the wrong answer for many others.
Track record and net worth tests are assessed against your audited accounts before an application is made.
Application prepared and filed through your AD Category-I bank, with the RBI route pursued where required.
We model branch against subsidiary on your own numbers, because the rate difference usually decides it.
Accounts audited and the Annual Activity Certificate issued by an independent chartered accountant each year.
Delivering into India under the parent’s own name.
Servicing equipment or contracts already sold into India.
Where group policy requires a branch rather than a subsidiary.
Every case is different, so we review yours first and give you a clear price before any work or payment — no charge for the review, no obligation.
No hidden charges. You decide after you see the price.
💬 Get my quote →A subsidiary is a separate Indian company owned by the parent and taxed as a domestic company. A branch office is the foreign company itself operating in India — not a separate legal entity, so the parent is directly liable, and its Indian profits are generally taxed at the higher foreign-company rate.
Only those permitted in its approval. Typically export and import of goods, professional or consultancy services, research, technical support for the parent’s products, and acting as a buying or selling agent. Retail trading and manufacturing are generally not permitted directly.
Applications go through an AD Category-I bank. Depending on the applicant, the sector and the activity, the RBI route applies rather than the automatic one. Applicants from certain countries require prior approval in all cases.
A branch office applicant is generally expected to show a profit-making track record over recent financial years and a minimum net worth, evidenced by audited accounts. A liaison office faces a similar but lower test. We check this before applying rather than after a rejection.
Usually longer than a subsidiary — often eight to fourteen weeks, because it depends on the AD Bank and, where required, the RBI.
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