India
| Pros |
|---|
| Large, young, and increasingly digital workforce offering significant human capital for private enterprise. |
| Ongoing deregulation and simplification of the tax code to encourage foreign direct investment and entrepreneurship. |
| Rapid expansion of private infrastructure projects and digital public goods reducing transaction costs for businesses. |
| Cons |
|---|
| Persistent bureaucratic hurdles and complex regulatory compliance requirements slowing down business operations and market entry. |
| High levels of protectionist trade barriers and occasional unpredictable shifts in government economic policy. |
| Inconsistent enforcement of property rights and slow judicial processes for resolving commercial disputes. |
Will India tax what you earn?
YES, A LOT. India taxes personal income heavily (top marginal rate 30%), and its definition of tax residence is wide: prolonged stay, economic centre of gravity, the net closes. The classic combo of high rate and broad catchment. Leaving is rarely as simple as buying a plane ticket.
Will India tax what you own?
YES, BUT LIGHTLY. India taxes capital gains lightly (12.5% at the top), with no annual wealth charge and no inheritance regime. A held portfolio compounds with minimal friction; the state only shows up at disposal.
Is it easy to run a company in India?
NO. India sits at the high end with corporate tax at 34.9%, though an IP-box regime at 10% buys back some of the bill for IP-heavy businesses. Outside of qualifying IP income, the load is heavy.
Is India good for your holding company?
NOT REALLY. India has a moderate 46-strong treaty network. Without a participation exemption, dividends from subsidiaries land in the corporate schedule (34.9%): workable for operational subsidiaries, much weaker as a pure holding vehicle.
| Country | Status | Dividends | Interest | Royalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| ∅ // no treaties match | ||||
What does it cost to come and go from India?
SOME. India taxes worldwide income while you're resident, but there's no exit tax on the way out. The cost of leaving is mostly paperwork: unrealised gains follow you to the next jurisdiction untouched.
Will India protect your privacy?
NOT AT ALL. India has signed every exchange framework that matters and operates a public corporate registry. Whatever you do here (earn, hold, structure) is reportable, accessible, or both. Privacy is not the strategy in this jurisdiction.
Is India itself a liability?
NO. India is clear of every major blacklist (FATF, EU, France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil) and sits inside FATF membership. Dealing with this jurisdiction is reputationally inert: no flags follow the transaction.
Will you feel free in India?
NO. Press freedom in India is restricted (RSF rank #151). Civic space and independent media operate under pressure or not at all, a constraint that typically extends to financial expression as well, even where crypto isn't formally banned.
| Program | Status | Cross-border | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
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Digital Rupee
The main motive is increase efficiency and decrease risks by utilizing instant settlement and programmability to return funds at specific times without delays.
RBI
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PILOT | — | announce → |
Other jurisdictions worth comparing
Picked by similarity of strategic profile to India. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.