Key takeaways
- CETA has applied since 15 July 2026; UK firms are signing more Indian partners.
- Failure to prevent fraud (since 1 Sep 2025) and Bribery Act s.7 both reward documented partner due diligence.
- We check Indian partners on the ground and report in English.
Why companies from here use us
- CETA has applied since 15 July 2026, cutting tariffs and opening services.
- UK corporate-offence regimes make your procedures for checking third parties a legal defence.
- One English-language report your legal, procurement and finance teams can all use.
Your home-country rules — and what they mean for an Indian partner
- Bribery Act 2010, section 7: a company is liable if an associated person bribes on its behalf, unless it had adequate procedures — proportionate due diligence on partners and intermediaries is one of them.
- Failure to prevent fraud (Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023), in force since 1 September 2025: applies to large organisations meeting two of — turnover over £36m, assets over £18m, more than 250 staff. The defence is having reasonable procedures, which the company must prove.
- Recent enforcement shows the risk often sits with JV partners and local “fixers”.
The India side
- CETA and the Double Contributions Convention — see India–UK trade deal guide.
- Setting up in India: India for UK companies.
What we check for you in India
- Identity, registrations and filed financial statements of the Indian partner — how it works.
- Financial, tax and FEMA review; related parties; litigation through public records and counsel.
- Promoters, directors, government links and how intermediaries are paid — for your anti-bribery and supply-chain files.
- Premises visits from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Rajkot or Dubai, with a written report in English.
- Full scope: partner due diligence · investment due diligence · supplier verification.
We are Chartered Accountants, not lawyers: home-country legal advice on compliance programmes stays with your counsel. Our reports are built to slot into their files.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Does the UK failure to prevent fraud offence apply to Indian partners?
It can: a large UK organisation can be liable for fraud by associated persons acting for it, including overseas partners, unless it had reasonable procedures — which include risk-based due diligence on those partners.
What are adequate procedures under the Bribery Act for India?
Proportionate, risk-based procedures including due diligence on Indian agents, distributors and JV partners — ownership, government links, payment arrangements and track record — plus contractual controls and monitoring.
When did the India–UK trade agreement take effect?
On 15 July 2026.