Cross-Border M&A Advisory in India — From Deal Thesis to Value Delivered
Acquiring, merging with, or divesting an Indian business is rarely lost on strategy. It is lost on execution — valuation gaps, regulatory sequencing, and diligence findings that surface too late. A2 Consultants exists to close that gap.
We act as a single advisory counterparty for global acquirers, private equity funds, and promoters: one team accountable for diligence, structure, approvals, and integration, so your deal thesis survives contact with Indian regulation.
India's deal environment rewards preparation disproportionately. Sectoral FDI caps, pricing guidelines on every share transfer, tax withholding on indirect transfers, and state-level approvals mean that a structure that works in Singapore or London may be unexecutable in Mumbai. The acquirers who create value here are the ones whose advisors modelled the regulatory pathway before the term sheet — not after.
Our M&A practice was built for precisely this asymmetry. We serve as the India-side transaction team for foreign buyers and sellers: fluent in what your global counsel and bankers need, and equally fluent in what Indian regulators, valuers, and counterparties will actually accept.
Who we serve
Global corporations acquiring Indian targets or divesting Indian subsidiaries; private equity and venture funds executing control or minority deals; promoters seeking international buyers; and multinationals restructuring Indian holdings ahead of group reorganisations.
The outcomes we deliver
- Transactions structured to withstand FEMA, RBI, Companies Act, and income-tax scrutiny — before signing, not after.
- Diligence that changes price: financial, legal, and tax red flags quantified into negotiating leverage.
- Approval timelines compressed through correctly sequenced filings (FC-TRS, valuation reports, NCLT where required).
- Post-merger integration plans that protect synergies in the first 100 days.
- Exit-readiness built into every acquisition: holding structures, documentation, and tax positions arranged so a future sale or IPO is not blocked by today's shortcuts.
How we work
- Assess. Target screening, preliminary valuation, and a regulatory feasibility read within weeks — not months.
- Structure. Share deal vs. slump sale vs. merger routes modelled for tax, repatriation, and control outcomes.
- Execute. Diligence, SPA/SHA negotiation support, pricing compliance, and regulatory filings run in parallel.
- Integrate. Entity rationalisation, compliance transition, and governance handover after close.
Why A2 Consultants
Two decades of cross-border transaction experience in India, a multidisciplinary team spanning chartered accountancy, law, and regulatory liaison, and a track record with multinational clients across manufacturing, technology, and consumer sectors. We stay accountable through closing and beyond — the same team that structured your deal manages its filings, integration, and first-year compliance.
Frequently asked questions
How can a foreign company acquire an Indian company?
Most acquisitions proceed as share purchases under the automatic FDI route, subject to sectoral caps and FEMA pricing guidelines: the price paid by a foreign buyer must be at or above fair value certified by a registered valuer. Transactions in restricted sectors, or involving investors from land-border countries, require prior government approval. Court-approved mergers involving a foreign transferee run through the NCLT. We determine the correct pathway before diligence begins, so the deal is never re-papered mid-flight.
How long does a cross-border M&A transaction take in India?
A well-prepared private share acquisition typically closes in four to six months: four to eight weeks of diligence, parallel documentation, and statutory filings around closing. Government-approval-route deals, NCLT mergers, or transactions requiring CCI competition clearance can extend to nine to eighteen months. The largest controllable variable is preparation — targets with clean data rooms and pre-agreed structures close dramatically faster.
What taxes apply when buying or selling an Indian company?
Sellers face capital gains tax, with rates depending on holding period, listing status, and any applicable tax treaty; buyers must withhold tax on payments to non-resident sellers and inherit exposure if they withhold incorrectly. Stamp duty applies to share transfers and business transfers. Indirect transfers — selling an offshore holding company that derives substantial value from India — can also be taxable in India. We model the complete tax cost of each structure before you commit to one.
Do we need separate advisors for diligence, tax, and legal work on an India deal?
You can run a deal that way — many do — but fragmentation is where transactions leak time and money: the tax advisor's structure conflicts with the lawyer's documents, and nobody owns the regulatory calendar. Our model puts diligence, structuring, documentation support, and filings under one accountable team, coordinating with your international counsel and bankers rather than competing with them. One counterparty, one timeline, one version of the truth.
Considering an acquisition, joint venture, or exit in India? Request a confidential deal consultation.