INDIA
THE WORLD'S MOST CONSEQUENTIAL LEGAL MARKET OF THE NEXT DECADE.
India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and the most significant legal market opportunity of the next decade. The EU-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations, the DPDP Rules 2025 data protection framework, Vision 2047 infrastructure investment, and the ongoing transformation of India's corporate law landscape are creating unprecedented cross-border legal work across every major practice area.
WLA is the only Institutional co-practice framework with New Delhi as its Central Command — meaning India is not a remote outpost but the operational heart of the WLA institution. Every co-practice mandate touching India is coordinated from New Delhi.
EVERY MAJOR PRACTICE.
INDIA-SPECIFIC DEEP EXPERTISE.
WLA India partner firms hold exclusive designations across 8 practice areas — the deepest independent legal expertise in each discipline, co-practiced under WLA's Institutional framework.
Cross-border M&A, FDI, joint ventures, and corporate structuring under Indian company law, FEMA, SEBI regulations, and sector-specific FDI caps. India as acquisition target and as acquiring jurisdiction.
DPDP Rules 2025 compliance, IT Act obligations, cross-border data transfer frameworks, AI regulation, and technology M&A — India's technology sector is the fastest-growing in the world.
Indian Patent Office prosecution, trademark registration, copyright, and IP enforcement. India's pharmaceutical patent landscape is uniquely complex — WLA India's IP practice has specialist depth in compulsory licensing and Section 3(d) analysis.
National Infrastructure Pipeline, renewable energy projects, PPP frameworks, and project finance under Indian law. India's $1.4T infrastructure investment programme creates the largest project finance opportunity in Asia.
India's four Labour Codes consolidating 29 central laws — compliance redesign for all employers. State-by-state implementation, termination procedures, trade union relations, and executive arrangements under Indian law.
India transfer pricing — among the most heavily litigated in the world. Cross-border tax structuring, APAs, MAP proceedings, and BEPS compliance under Indian domestic law and its network of 90+ tax treaties.
WHAT'S MOVING IN
INDIA'S LEGAL LANDSCAPE.
| AREA | SIGNAL | INDEX |
|---|---|---|
|
DATA PROTECTION
DPDP Rules 2025
|
DPDP Rules 2025 Final — Cross-border data transfer framework published. Significant Processing Agreement requirements. 12-month compliance window now open for all international companies processing personal data in India. | +34% |
|
FDI / CORPORATE
FEMA Amendments
|
FEMA Downstream Investment Rules — Revised automatic route thresholds for downstream investments. Significant impact on holding structure design for international companies with Indian subsidiaries. | +22% |
|
M&A / COMPETITION
CCI Deal Thresholds
|
CCI New Threshold Framework — Competition Commission of India introduces deal value threshold — transactions valued above ₹2,000 crore now require CCI approval regardless of revenue thresholds. | Active |
|
TAX / TRANSFER PRICING
CBDT TP Guidelines
|
CBDT Transfer Pricing Safe Harbour — Expanded safe harbour margins for IT and ITES transactions. Significant compliance simplification for technology companies with Indian shared service centres. | +18% |
|
INFRASTRUCTURE
NIP Phase 2
|
National Infrastructure Pipeline Phase 2 — ₹111 lakh crore investment programme. New PPP frameworks for roads, ports, and renewable energy creating record project finance activity. | +41% |
INDIA ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE WORLD'S MOST ACTIVE CORRIDORS.
EU-India FTA negotiations driving record M&A, technology, and pharmaceutical dealflow. WLA EU + WLA India co-practice both sides.
Gulf sovereign capital and family office investment into Indian real estate, infrastructure, and technology. CEPA bilateral framework accelerating.
UK-India FTA post-implementation activity. Financial services, professional services, and technology corridors all growing. Common law alignment advantage.
MEET THE WLA INDIA
ANCHOR FIRM.
