The Ground Truth
Here's what actually goes wrong.
These aren't hypotheticals. They're patterns I've seen across sixteen years of watching foreign companies get India wrong — and right.
The Entity Trap
Liaison offices cannot generate revenue. Companies set one up to 'test the market,' then discover the restriction when the RBI comes knocking. The right structure depends on your sector, your timeline, and your intent — and getting it wrong costs years.
The Tax Demand, Years Later
Classification decisions made at entry become enforcement actions three years later. Volkswagen faces India's largest-ever import tax demand: $1.4 billion. Kia: $155 million. These are not exceptional cases. They are the cost of getting the details wrong at the start.
The Vendor Who Says Yes to Everything
India has no shortage of suppliers who will confirm any specification, meet any timeline, and hit any price — until they don't. Vetting requires someone who shows up in person, speaks the right language, and knows the difference between a real factory and a front.
Seven Compliance Frameworks at Once
Corporate law. FEMA. Direct tax. GST. Labour. Data protection. Sector licensing. Most advisors cover one or two. You find out about the rest through penalty notices.
The State-Level Surprise
India isn't one market. Regulations on land, labour, environment, and local licences vary across 28 states. A strategy built for Maharashtra fails in Tamil Nadu. What worked in Gujarat may be prohibited in West Bengal.
What I Do
Whatever you need. Here's how it breaks down.
Most engagements involve more than one of these. That's the point.
Getting In
Company formation and entity selection — subsidiary, branch, or liaison office, and which structure is right for your sector and timeline. RBI and FEMA filings. GST and tax registration. Sector-specific licensing. Banking setup. Director appointments. Everything that needs to be in place before you can operate.
- Entity selection & company formation
- RBI / FEMA compliance & filings
- GST & tax registration
- Sector-specific licensing
- Banking & financial setup
- Director appointment & board structure
Finding the Right People
Supplier discovery and shortlisting across Indian manufacturers, traders, and distributors. On-the-ground due diligence — physical visits, capability checks, reference calls. Distribution partner identification. Joint venture candidate sourcing. No directories. No unverified listings.
- Supplier discovery & shortlisting
- Physical due diligence & factory visits
- Distribution partner identification
- JV & business partner sourcing
- Commercial structuring support
- Ongoing vendor performance monitoring
Running Operations
Local representation and coordination on your behalf. Government and regulatory liaison. Project and site management. Workforce setup guidance. Ongoing compliance monitoring. The person your India counterparties know is accountable.
- Local representation & coordination
- Government & regulatory liaison
- Project & site management
- Workforce setup guidance
- Ongoing compliance monitoring
- On-ground reporting & documentation
Moving Goods
Freight forwarding across ocean and air. Customs clearance and HS classification. Route engineering. Cargo insurance structuring. Port and inland coordination. One accountable relationship from origin to destination.
- Ocean FCL/LCL & air freight
- Customs clearance & HS classification
- Route & carrier engineering
- Cargo insurance structuring
- Port handling & last-mile
- Live tracking & exception management
How I Work
Four things every client knows before we start.
You get me.
Not a team. Not an analyst who's been briefed on your situation. Every call, every introduction, every decision — that's me. If that changes, I'll tell you before it does.
I tell you what I can't do.
If a mandate is outside my depth or capacity, I'll say so in the first conversation and connect you with the right specialist. I would rather lose a brief than cost you a year.
Everything is confidential.
What you share with me stays between us. No exceptions. No shared intelligence with any other client. In sixteen years, no client has ever had reason to question this.
I'm selective.
I don't take every engagement. If I can't give your mandate the attention it requires, I'll tell you that upfront. The clients I work with get my full attention — which means I work with fewer clients at once than most.
Founder
Manjot Singh
Founder, Al-Nasl
Sixteen years on the ground in India. Manufacturing hubs, industrial estates, government offices, port terminals, distribution networks — across most of the country's major commercial states. The mandates have ranged from single-vendor sourcing to full market entry programs spanning eighteen months or more.
What that looks like in practice: when a manufacturer needs a supplier in Gujarat, I know which industrial estates are real and which are aspirational. When a company is choosing between a branch office and a subsidiary, I know which structure has created problems for companies in their sector — and why. I've been in the meetings, the factories, the government offices, and the disputes.
I don't share client names, mandates, or outcomes with anyone. Every company I've worked with has had the same assurance. You will too.
Manjot Singh — what 16 years in India actually looks like.
Sectors with India Depth
Sector-specific ground knowledge.
Medical & Pharma
Regulatory pathways, licensed distributors, and import compliance for medical devices and pharmaceutical products.
Automotive
Component sourcing, JV partner matching, and supply-chain setup for automotive manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers.
Infrastructure
Equipment procurement, contractor qualification, and project representation for construction and infrastructure programs.
Industrial & Steel
Bulk materials, semi-finished metals, and industrial equipment — sourced, vetted, and moved from Indian suppliers.
Agriculture
Compliant, time-sensitive sourcing and movement of agricultural commodities and agri-inputs.
The Record
0
Years on the ground in India
Every
Major commercial state covered
One
Principal on every engagement
Zero
Client names ever disclosed
From the Ground
What sixteen years teaches you.
The Entity Structure Trap
Why the wrong legal vehicle can cost you years — and how to choose right.
Article forthcoming
What the Volkswagen Tax Demand Means for You
Classification decisions made at entry become enforcement actions years later. Here's what to get right from day one.
Article forthcoming
Why Your Indian Vendor Said Yes
India has no shortage of suppliers who will confirm anything. Vetting requires someone who shows up in person.
Article forthcoming
Let's talk about what you need.
I review every enquiry personally. If I can help, you'll hear from me within 24 hours. If I can't, I'll tell you who can.