Setting up an Indian subsidiary through AU Corporate costs USD 750 to 1,000 all-inclusive for a company with INR 10 lakh share capital, covering Indian government fees and our professional fees from name approval to the FC-GPR filing. On top of that, a UK parent pays its own document costs in the UK: certified copies from Companies House, a notary public, and an apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office for each document, plus courier to India. Larger capital or some Indian states raise the government fees. Running costs after incorporation, such as accounting, audit and tax filings, are separate and quoted as a fixed package.
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Key facts
| AU Corporate setup fee | USD 750 to 1,000 all-inclusive, for INR 10 lakh share capital |
|---|---|
| Included | Structure and FDI advice, DSCs and DINs, name approval, SPICe+ incorporation with PAN and TAN, bank account support, share issue and FC-GPR |
| Not included | UK notary and apostille fees, courier, and compliance after incorporation |
| UK apostille authority | FCDO Legalisation Office |
| Minimum capital | None in Indian law; size it to the first months of running costs |
| Typical capital route | Sterling remitted from the UK parent's bank to the Indian company's account and converted to rupees |
| UK VAT on Indian services | Usually accounted for by the UK business customer under the reverse charge |
| Running costs | Quoted separately as a fixed monthly or annual package |
The headline price and what it covers
UK finance teams usually want one number for approval. Ours is USD 750 to 1,000 all-inclusive for a subsidiary with INR 10 lakh share capital, confirmed as a fixed quote before work starts. It covers both the Indian government fees and our professional fees for the whole incorporation:
- checking the FDI route and structure, and the document list for a UK parent;
- digital signature certificates and director identification numbers;
- name approval and SPICe+ incorporation, with PAN and TAN;
- support opening the Indian bank account;
- issuing shares to the UK parent, share certificates, and the FC-GPR filing with the RBI.
The price moves in two cases: higher share capital, because the MCA fee and state stamp duty rise with capital, and a registered office in a state with higher stamp duty. We tell you the effect before you choose.
Costs on the UK side
Indian authorities need the UK parent's documents in an authenticated form. These costs are paid in the UK to UK providers, so they sit outside our fee.
| Item | Who charges | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copies of the certificate of incorporation and articles | Companies House | A small fee per certified document; order several sets at once |
| Board resolution approving the investment | Your company secretary or our draft | Usually internal time only |
| Notarisation of the resolution, the parent's documents and director KYC | A UK notary public | Notaries charge per document or per hour; London rates are usually higher than regional ones |
| Apostille on each notarised document | FCDO Legalisation Office | A fixed fee per document, with a faster service at a higher fee |
| Courier to India | Courier company | International express delivery of the original apostilled set |
The single biggest variable is the number of documents. Every director's passport and address proof, every parent document and the board resolution each need their own notarisation and apostille, so a board with several UK directors costs more to authenticate than one with a single signatory.
Funding the subsidiary in sterling
Indian law sets no minimum capital for a private company, but the subsidiary must be able to pay rent, salaries and suppliers until it bills its first invoices. Most UK parents fund the first six to twelve months of costs as share capital.
- Capital is sent in sterling from the UK parent's bank account to the Indian company's account, quoting the company name and the purpose, and converted into rupees on arrival.
- The real cost of the transfer is the exchange margin rather than the transfer fee, so ask the UK bank for its rate in advance on larger amounts.
- The Indian bank issues a foreign inward remittance certificate and obtains KYC on the UK remitter; both are needed for the FC-GPR filing.
- Shares must be issued within 60 days of the money arriving, at or above fair value, so plan the valuation with the remittance.
Services that change the quote
| Service | When a UK parent needs it |
|---|---|
| Resident director | When no director will spend 182 days in India in the financial year; we can provide a professional resident director |
| Registered office | When the subsidiary has no Indian premises yet |
| GST registration | When the subsidiary will invoice Indian customers or export services |
| Importer Exporter Code | When it will import or export goods |
| Shops and establishments registration | Once it opens an office and hires staff |
First-year running costs
Once incorporated, the subsidiary has ongoing obligations whatever its size: monthly bookkeeping and GST and TDS returns, payroll and provident fund once it hires, a statutory audit every year, the income tax return, the transfer pricing report in Form 48 if it deals with the UK parent, the annual FLA return to the RBI, and annual ROC filings. We quote these as a fixed monthly or annual package so the UK budget has no surprises. See the compliance calendar for UK-owned companies.
Costs that land on the UK parent
- UK VAT on Indian services: when the Indian subsidiary bills the UK parent for services, the UK parent generally accounts for UK VAT itself under the reverse charge; for a fully taxable business this nets to nil, but a partly exempt group, such as a financial services firm, bears some of it.
- Transfer pricing documentation in the UK: large UK groups need master file and local file documentation that covers the Indian subsidiary's pricing too.
- Controlled foreign company review: an active Indian trading subsidiary is usually outside the UK CFC charge, but the group tax team will want the analysis on file.
- Group audit: the UK auditor may need to review the Indian audit, which adds to group audit time.
See UK parent reporting for the UK-side obligations.
Ways UK parents keep the cost down
- Prepare the full document set in one visit to the notary, with enough certified copies for the bank and the ROC.
- Keep the first board small: each additional foreign director adds notarisation, apostille and DSC costs.
- Choose the registered office state with stamp duty in mind if the business could sit in more than one state.
- Send enough capital at the start, so the subsidiary does not need a second share issue and FC-GPR within months.
- Agree the intercompany services agreement before the first invoice, so transfer pricing and VAT work from day one.
How AU Corporate handles this
AU Corporate quotes a fixed all-inclusive price for incorporating your Indian subsidiary, sends the UK document checklist and drafts the board resolution, and then runs the subsidiary's accounting, tax, payroll and ROC compliance as a fixed package if you want one team for both.
Related services: India subsidiary registration and accounting, reporting and audit support.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost a UK company to set up an Indian subsidiary?
With AU Corporate, USD 750 to 1,000 all-inclusive for INR 10 lakh share capital, plus the UK parent's own notary, apostille and courier costs.
What does the USD 750 to 1,000 include?
Indian government fees and our professional fees from structure advice, DSCs and name approval to incorporation, PAN and TAN, bank account support, share issue and the FC-GPR filing.
Which UK costs are not included?
Companies House certified copies, notary public fees, FCDO apostille fees and international courier.
Is there a minimum share capital?
No. Indian law sets no minimum for a private company, but the capital should cover the first months of costs.
Does the UK parent pay UK VAT on services from the Indian subsidiary?
Usually yes, through the reverse charge. A fully taxable business recovers it; a partly exempt group bears part of it.
Are accounting and audit costs included in the setup fee?
No. Running costs after incorporation are quoted separately as a fixed monthly or annual package.
Related guides
Sources
Last updated 3 November 2026. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Indian rules change often; confirm current requirements before acting.