$20M+
payroll processed in India
300+
global companies served
99%
payroll accuracy, every month
Zero
compliance penalties to date
What comes with paying workers in India
Every payment to India carries a compliance, tax, and regulatory layer.
Most companies discover these one at a time — usually when something goes wrong. Here's what sits between your wire transfer and your India-based team.
Permanent Establishment Risk
Having workers in India can create a taxable presence - even without a registered entity. How your operations are structured determines your exposure.
Worker Misclassification
Indian courts look past contracts to evaluate the actual working relationship. Reclassification triggers retroactive benefits, penalties, and interest.
Cross-Border Payment Compliance
FEMA regulations, RBI guidelines, purpose codes, TDS withholding, and Form 15CA/15CB — every wire transfer has documentation requirements.
Tax & GST Obligations
TDS rates vary by payment type. GST may apply depending on classification and thresholds. DTAA treaties affect what gets withheld and where.
IP & Data Protection
IP assignment clauses need to be enforceable under Indian law. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act applies to any company processing Indian data.
Regulatory Changes
India's labor codes, tax rules, and compliance thresholds change with every Union Budget. What was compliant last quarter may not be today.
Start here: The India Remote Playbook
A 5-part primer on payments and compliance in India
One specific area per email — the kind of detail that usually requires a conversation with a chartered accountant or a compliance advisor.
1
2
3
4
5
D1
Permanent Establishment risk under Indian tax law.
How the Income Tax Act defines significant economic presence. What triggers PE status. How it affects the way your India income is taxed — and the structuring options available.
D2
Employee vs contractor: how India classifies workers.
The factors Indian courts evaluate beyond the contract. How EPF and ESI thresholds apply. What reclassification means in terms of retroactive obligations.
D3
Taxes on services between India and your home country.
TDS rates by payment type. GST obligations and when zero-rated applies. The five conditions that determine export status. How DTAA treaties change the math.
D4
How cross-border payments to India actually work.
FEMA regulations, wire transfer documentation, purpose codes, Form 15CA/15CB requirements, forex conversion mechanics, and the payment rails available.
D5
Building and structuring your India team.
Which roles to hire first. How to structure pods and workflows. Tools for distributed teams. Communication systems and async practices that work across time zones.
Get the India Remote Playbook - starting today.
What this newsletter covers
The ongoing coverage that keeps you ahead.
After the playbook, the newsletter continues — covering each of these areas as India's regulatory landscape evolves.
CTC & Payroll Structure
How Cost to Company breaks down. Base salary, HRA, EPF, ESI, gratuity, professional tax — and what each means for your total cost.
IP, ESOPs & Data
IP assignment enforceability. ESOP taxation for Indian employees. DPDPA enforcement updates and data localization.
Policy & Budget Updates
Union Budget changes that affect foreign employers. New labor codes. State-level regulatory shifts — decoded as they happen.
Compliance & Labor Law
Statutory benefits, leave policies, gratuity rules, EPF/ESI threshold changes, and state-level variations.
Salary Benchmarks & Benefits
Compensation data by role and city. Statutory vs optional benefits. CTC benchmarks across industries and experience levels.
HR Systems & Infrastructure
Payroll setup, leave policies, statutory benefits, onboarding documentation, and the compliance infrastructure for your India team.
Aditya Nagpal
CEO, Wisemonk · Writing The India'logue
I've spent 17+ years working with global companies navigating India's payments, tax, and compliance infrastructure. 300+ companies, $20M+ in payroll, and every edge case in between. This newsletter is what I've learned along the way.
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