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RBI & FEMA Compliance

Cross-Border Regulatory Mastery

We provide comprehensive advisory and compliance services under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations. Our practice assists businesses, NRIs, and startups in navigating the complexities of cross-border transactions, foreign investments, and overseas operations.

IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Foreign Money Coming Into India (Inbound)

If someone outside India wants to invest money in your Indian business — or if you're raising funds from foreign investors — here's what we handle:

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): A foreign company or individual buys shares in your Indian company. We ensure the investment follows RBI rules, file the required forms (FC-GPR), and get everything documented correctly.

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI): Large foreign funds or institutions that buy listed shares on Indian stock exchanges. We help companies stay compliant with FPI reporting and shareholding limits.

Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCI): Overseas venture capital funds investing in Indian startups. We manage their registration, investment structuring, and SEBI/RBI compliance.

Non-Resident Indians (NRI) Investing in India: An NRI buying property, shares, or starting a business in India. We guide them on what's allowed, through which bank account (NRE/NRO/FCNR), and ensure full FEMA compliance.

External Commercial Borrowings (ECB): Your Indian company borrowing money from a foreign lender or bank. We structure the loan, file RBI intimations, and ensure end-use and repayment comply with RBI guidelines.

Transfer of Shares from Resident to Non-Resident (FC-TRS): When an existing Indian shareholder sells their shares to a foreigner. We handle pricing compliance, RBI filings, and documentation.

Indian Money Going Outside India (Outbound)

If your Indian business or you personally want to invest, expand, or send money abroad — here's what we handle:

Overseas Direct Investment (ODI): An Indian company setting up or acquiring a business abroad (subsidiary, JV, or branch). We file RBI forms, ensure the investment is within limits, and handle annual reporting back to RBI.

Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS): Every Indian resident can send up to USD 2,50,000 per year abroad for travel, education, investments, or gifts. We advise on permissible uses and tax implications.

Outbound Acquisitions & Cross-Border M&A: Indian companies buying foreign businesses. We structure the deal within FEMA limits, coordinate with AD banks, and file all RBI approvals.

Liaison / Branch / Project Office Outside India: Setting up a representative presence abroad. We manage RBI approval, annual compliance reporting, and closure formalities.

Fixing Past Mistakes (Compounding)

If your company unknowingly violated FEMA rules in the past — such as missing a filing deadline or receiving foreign investment without proper documentation — we help you regularise it:

RBI Compounding: A legal process where you voluntarily disclose a past FEMA violation to RBI, pay a penalty, and get a clean compliance record. We prepare the application, calculate the penalty, and liaise with RBI on your behalf.

FEMA Health Check / Audit: A complete review of your past foreign transactions to identify any gaps before regulators do — giving you time to fix them proactively.

METHODOLOGY

FEMA health check and identification of compliance gaps

Structuring inbound and outbound transactions within regulatory limits

Preparation and filing of RBI returns and intimations

Liaison with Authorised Dealer (AD) banks for approvals and reporting

Representation before RBI and compounding of FEMA contraventions

SCOPE OF SERVICES

FDI Compliance & FC-GPR Filing

ODI (Overseas Direct Investment) Advisory

ECB (External Commercial Borrowings) Structuring

NRI Investment & Repatriation Advisory

FEMA Audit & Health Check

RBI Compounding Applications

Liaison Office / Branch Office Compliances

FC-TRS (Transfer of Shares) Filings

Annual Performance Report (APR) Filing

FEMA Advisory for Cross-Border M&A

SERVICE DEEP-DIVE

FDI & Inbound Investment

End-to-end compliance for foreign direct investment into India, ensuring adherence to sectoral caps, pricing guidelines, and timely RBI reporting.

FC-GPR filing within 30 days of allotment

Sectoral cap and entry route assessment

Downstream investment compliance

Valuation under FEMA for share issuance

DPIIT and RBI coordination

Overseas Direct Investment (ODI)

Advisory and compliance for Indian companies and individuals investing outside India, including JVs, WOS, and overseas acquisitions.

ODI filing and approval

Annual Performance Report (APR)

Step-down subsidiary compliance

ODI under automatic vs. approval route

Remittance structuring

NRI & PIO Compliance

Comprehensive advisory for Non-Resident Indians on property acquisition, repatriation, NRE/NRO account management, and income tax treaties.

NRE / NRO account advisory

Repatriation of funds to overseas accounts

Property purchase / sale compliance

DTAA benefits for NRIs

FEMA provisions on gifting and inheritance

RBI Compounding

Regularisation of past FEMA contraventions through the RBI compounding process, minimising penalties and ensuring clean compliance records.

Identification and categorisation of contraventions

Preparation of compounding application

Submission to RBI Enforcement Department

Liaison and correspondence with RBI

Post-compounding compliance setup

COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK

FEMA, 1999

RBI Master Directions

FEMA (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019

FEMA (Debt Instruments) Regulations

Foreign Trade Policy

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