Setting up in India? We handle the incorporation, tax and compliance.
Company or LLP incorporation, tax and statutory registrations, and the ongoing filings that keep your Indian entity in good standing. Your team, hiring, operations and administration stay entirely with you.
Two ways to go offshore.
An honest comparison. The right answer depends on your volume, timing and how much you want to own.
| Question | Outsource to LedgerShore | Set up your own entity in India |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | You need results quickly, or have up to 8–10 people’s worth of work | You want long-term ownership, and a team of 8–10 people or more |
| Time to start | 2–4 weeks | 3–6 months |
| You run | Nothing day to day: you receive reviewed work | Hiring, your team, workspace and daily operations |
| LedgerShore handles | The work itself, prepared and reviewed | Incorporation, registrations, tax and statutory compliance |
You can start by outsourcing to us, then set up your own entity once the work is stable. If you do, we keep the new entity compliant.
From decision to a compliant entity.
Timelines are typical ranges, not guarantees, and depend on documentation and regulatory processing.
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Weeks 1–2
Consultation and structure
Your plans, ownership and timing, and the right structure for you: a private limited company or an LLP.
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Weeks 2–10
Incorporation
Name reservation, digital signatures and director identification numbers, and the incorporation filings with the Registrar of Companies.
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Alongside entity setup
Tax and statutory registrations
PAN and TAN, GST registration, Shops and Establishments registration, and PF, ESI and professional tax registrations once you have employees.
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After incorporation
Foreign investment reporting
Reporting to the Reserve Bank of India when shares are issued to the overseas parent, and the entity’s first statutory registers and auditor appointment.
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Ongoing
Ongoing compliance
GST and TDS returns, payroll-related filings (PF, ESI and professional tax), income tax returns, annual ROC filings, the annual foreign liabilities and assets return, and transfer pricing documentation where it applies.
Your team, hiring, workspace, HR and day-to-day administration are yours to run. Our role covers incorporation, registrations, tax and statutory compliance.
Clear responsibilities from day one.
We handle
- Incorporating the company or LLP
- Tax and statutory registrations
- Monthly, quarterly and annual tax returns
- ROC, RBI and other statutory filings
- Updates on what is due, what we need from you, and what has been filed
You handle
- Hiring and managing your team
- Office space, IT and equipment
- HR and day-to-day administration
- Your operations, processes and standards
- Banking, contracts and business decisions
What setup and compliance typically cost.
The categories are the same for every client. The amounts depend on your structure and activity, so we set them out in your written plan.
One-time setup
- Government fees and stamp duty
- Digital signatures and director identification
- Professional fees for incorporation and registrations
Ongoing compliance
- Monthly and quarterly GST and TDS returns
- Payroll-related statutory filings
- Annual ROC filings and income tax return
- Statutory audit fee, paid to your auditor
LedgerShore’s fee
- A fixed fee for incorporation and registrations
- A fixed fee for ongoing compliance
- Agreed in an engagement letter before work starts
Why work with LedgerShore on this
Chartered Accountants
Your filings are prepared by Chartered Accountants, backed by a CA firm with more than 30 years of practice in India.
A second check before filing
Every return is reviewed by a second accountant before it is filed in your entity’s name.
You’re never left guessing
You hear from us before deadlines, and as soon as each filing is done. No chasing for updates.
What happens after you get in touch.
- 45 minutes
Consultation
Your plans, ownership structure and timing.
- Within 5 business days
A written setup plan
The recommended structure, the registrations you need, a timeline and our fee.
- When you are ready
Your decision
If you go ahead, we start the incorporation under a fixed-fee engagement letter.
Setting up in India: common questions
These are general answers. We’ll recommend a structure after reviewing your situation.
What exactly does LedgerShore do, and what don’t you do?
We handle the compliance side: incorporating the company or LLP, tax and statutory registrations, and the ongoing returns and filings. Hiring, your team, office space, IT, HR and day-to-day administration are yours to run. We don’t recruit, manage staff or set up operations.
Do I need a local director?
A private limited company in India must have at least one director who is resident in India, meaning they spent at least 182 days in the country in the financial year. We’ll explain the practical ways to meet this on the consultation.
Subsidiary or LLP: which is better?
Both are used. A private limited subsidiary is the more common choice for a foreign-owned business; an LLP can suit some structures. Foreign investment rules, tax and your home-country position all affect the answer. We’ll recommend a structure after reviewing your situation.
How is transfer pricing handled?
An Indian entity that serves its overseas parent is usually paid on a cost-plus basis, and the arrangement needs transfer pricing documentation and reporting every year. We cover this as part of the entity’s annual tax compliance.
Will I know what’s due and when?
Yes. We tell you what is coming up, what we need from you and when each return has been filed, so you never have to chase us for a status update.
Who owns the entity?
You do. The company, its bank accounts, employees and contracts are yours. We act on your instructions and file in the entity’s name.