India’s Supreme Court will revisit the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, a ruling that could directly influence the interpretation and implementation of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
Discover how India’s Industrial Relations Code, 2020 affects hiring, retrenchment, FTE models, compliance, and dispute resolution for foreign investors and MNCs entering the Indian market.
Gujarat’s Shops & Establishments amendments, notified on December 16, 2025, introduce key labor compliance changes, including higher applicability thresholds, extended working and overtime limits, and regulated night-shift employment for women.
India’s four new labor codes, notified on November 21, 2025, are going to influence mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities in India in FY 2026-27 by turning workforce compliance into a core financial and deal-structuring issue.
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As of 2026, India’s orange economy is emerging as a high-growth services opportunity, spanning media, live concerts, AVGC, and creative industries, supported by policy reform.
India’s 2026 amendments to the New Drug and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Rules, 2019, materially improve the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers, and foreign investors by compressing approval timelines and reducing pre-licensing bottlenecks.
The White House has revised its February 2026 factsheet on the interim India-US trade framework, softening procurement language from “committed” to “intends” regarding over US$500 billion in US goods.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, signals India's push to attract Malaysian capital into semiconductors, clean energy, digital payments, and advanced manufacturing.
The US is set to roll back tariffs on Indian exports from 50 percent to 18 percent within days, according to the commerce minister. The signing of a joint statement, expected between February 11 and 13, 2026, will activate the first phase of the India–US trade framework.
India’s Budget 2026-27 introduces a 2 percent safe harbor for bonded component warehousing and a five-year tax exemption for non-resident suppliers, offering transfer pricing certainty and strengthening India’s role in global manufacturing supply chains.
India’s tax administration has released the draft Income Tax Rules, 2026. The proposal streamlines the compliance framework, reducing it to 333 rules and 190 statutory forms. Public consultation remains open until February 22, 2026.
Budget 2026–27 elevates data centers to strategic infrastructure, pairing tax exemptions and regulatory certainty with India’s fast-growing digital demand. For global cloud players, India is moving from an emerging data center market to a scale-and-stability play position.
India’s Union Budget 2026 proposes a 20-year tax holiday during a 25-year period for International Banking Units in GIFT City, followed by a concessional 15 percent tax rate.
The ITAT’s ruling on the Binny Bansal tax residency case highlights that global mobility without meaningful economic disengagement does not eliminate tax exposure. For founders and investors, substance and timing outweigh physical location or day-count management when seeking treaty benefits.
India’s Supreme Court will revisit the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, a ruling that could directly influence the interpretation and implementation of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
The RBI has replaced the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2000, with the 2026 Regulations, introducing a principle-based, eligibility-driven framework under FEMA while retaining the underlying statutory prohibition structure.
Antitrust regulator CCI has imposed a US$3.01 million fine on Intel Corporation for an India-specific warranty policy deemed discriminatory and restrictive of parallel imports. The ruling clarifies how dominance is assessed under Indian competition law and highlights key compliance risks global companies.
India’s latest updates to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, tighten artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake regulation with mandatory labeling and 2-3 hour takedowns, putting safe harbor protection at risk for foreign platforms.
India’s 2026 amendments to the New Drug and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Rules, 2019, materially improve the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers, and foreign investors by compressing approval timelines and reducing pre-licensing bottlenecks.
India’s Supreme Court will revisit the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, a ruling that could directly influence the interpretation and implementation of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
As of 2026, India’s orange economy is emerging as a high-growth services opportunity, spanning media, live concerts, AVGC, and creative industries, supported by policy reform.
India’s 2026 amendments to the New Drug and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Rules, 2019, materially improve the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers, and foreign investors by compressing approval timelines and reducing pre-licensing bottlenecks.
India has extended the application window for the Textile PLI Scheme to March 31, 2026. Businesses in the textile sector should act quickly to secure incentives for scaling production and strengthening export competitiveness.
India’s liberalized insurance foreign direct investment (FDI) regime is now operational, allowing up to 100 percent foreign ownership from February 5, 2026, under the amended insurance laws.
India’s Supreme Court will revisit the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, a ruling that could directly influence the interpretation and implementation of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has overhauled its Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, expanding statewide applicability and modernizing employer compliance. The latest updates include threshold-based coverage, digital registration, revised working hours, and stronger enforcement for businesses operating in the state.
The Madhya Pradesh Shops & Establishment Act, Second Amendment, enacted on December 15, 2025, brings digital registration, online inspections, real-time updates, and simplified compliance for employers operating in the state.
India’s one central registration under the new labor codes streamlines employer registrations, licenses, and returns, while preserving statutory worker protections.
Gujarat’s Shops & Establishments amendments, notified on December 16, 2025, introduce key labor compliance changes, including higher applicability thresholds, extended working and overtime limits, and regulated night-shift employment for women.
Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing market entry, legal, accounting, tax, HR, technology and operational advisory to international investors.
Asia Briefing publishes articles, magazines, and guides on doing business in Asia. Dezan Shira & Associates has produced the publication since 1999.
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