Services
India market entry consulting that shows its sources.
Three engagements. Each one ends on a decision, and you can stop as soon as the answer is no.
Talk to an India market specialistA large consulting firm typically charges $50,000 to $150,000 over 8 to 12 weeks for comparable work.
- ScoutOn quotation, typically $3,000 to $8,000 · 10 business days
- Accelerator$15,000 to $20,000 · 4 to 6 weeks
- Embedded$20,000 to $25,000 · 3 months
- A large consulting firm$50,000 to $150,000 · 8 to 12 weeks
At the top of its range, a Scout costs less than a sixth of the lowest large-firm fee.
Stop rule Each engagement ends on a decision: continue, adapt or stop. If the Scout answer is no, you stop there.
Start with the decision
Choose the question before choosing the depth.
Each route names the decision, the evidence it needs and the point where a report should hand back to your team. Select a route below to start a scoped conversation.
Short answerTensor Advisory runs three fixed-scope engagements for companies deciding on India. Scout answers one focused question in 10 business days, Accelerator adds a route and a 90-day plan in 4 to 6 weeks, and Embedded keeps the evidence current for three months. Each ends on a go, wait or narrow recommendation, with every figure sourced and graded.
| Item | Scout | Accelerator | Embedded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | On quotation, typically $3,000 to $8,000 | $15,000 to $20,000 | $20,000 to $25,000 |
| Duration | 10 business days | 4 to 6 weeks | 3 months |
| Fits when | A focused question needs a decision file before deeper investment. | You have chosen a direction and need a route the team can act on. | The decision stays live and needs a recurring intelligence rhythm. |
| You receive | A focused market intelligence report (MIR), source log, recommendation and 60-minute debrief. | A MIR, readiness assessment, 90-day action plan and four advisory sessions. | The Accelerator package followed by a defined three-month advisory cadence. |
| Scope | See the Scout scope | See the Accelerator scope | See the Embedded scope |
Which decision is yours?
- 01
Market-entry analysis
You need to decide whether and how a product or business should enter India.
- A defined product, customer and route question
- Demand, competitor, trade and product-specific regulatory evidence
- A go, wait or narrow recommendation with the next validation test
The file supports a commercial decision. It is not legal advice, customs clearance, incorporation or a launch guarantee.
Scope a market-entry question - 02
International expansion
You have an operating business and need to compare the next market or commercial route.
- A comparison around the product, corridor and decision owner
- Route options covering export, distributor, local entity or manufacturing where relevant
- Priorities, open conditions and an evidence plan for the next move
The comparison makes assumptions visible. It does not promise demand, a forecast outcome or a ready-made operating plan.
Discuss an expansion decision - 03
Partnership development
You need a distributor, importer or operating partner brief before introductions or outreach.
- A partner role and corridor coverage brief
- Screening criteria, conflicts to check and evidence requirements
- A researchable shortlist definition and the questions for the next conversation
An introduction is a separate, consent-led step. A shortlist is not a guarantee of partner suitability or performance.
Define a partner search
How the work moves
From question to next decision.
Frame
Set the product, corridor, market and decision the work must inform.
Test
Assemble trade, regulatory, company and market evidence, with assumptions visible.
Review
Separate what the sources establish from what needs a client or field check.
Act
Deliver the recommendation, conditions and next test in a format a team can use.
Entry routes
Which India entry route, and who has to confirm it.
Most entry decisions end on one of five routes. The decision file tests whether a route fits the product and the customer. The legal and tax position has to come from qualified professionals working from the current official texts.
| Route | What it is for | Governing source | What the decision file covers | Who confirms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distributor or importerFinding a distributor in India | Selling into India without an Indian entity. | The distribution contract, plus the product rules that apply, for example BIS, CDSCO or FSSAI. | The partner role, screening criteria and landed-cost assumptions. | Your counsel for the contract; the product regulator for certification. |
| Liaison officeBranch and liaison offices | A representative office. The activities it may carry out are set by the FEMA 22(R) notification: check them before treating it as a sales presence. | RBI Master Direction on branch, liaison and project offices; application through an AD Category-I bank. | Whether a presence without sales answers the decision. | The AD Category-I bank and your counsel. |
| Branch officeBranch office in India | The activities approved for that office and location. Manufacturing through a branch has a general permission only in Special Economic Zones, under Regulation 3(c). | The same RBI Master Direction; Form FNC through an AD Category-I bank. | Activity scope by location and the account-plan questions. | The AD Category-I bank, then legal and tax advisers. |
| Wholly owned subsidiaryWholly owned subsidiary in India | An Indian company owned by the foreign parent. | The Companies Act 2013 for the company; FEMA and the Non-Debt Instruments Rules for the foreign investment (RBI Master Direction on foreign investment). | Whether the operating model justifies an entity, and the questions for counsel. | Indian corporate counsel, foreign-investment counsel and a tax adviser. |
| Employer of recordEmployer of record in India | Hiring people in India before an entity exists. | The employment contract and Indian employment law (Ministry of Labour and Employment). | Role scope, timing and the questions for employment counsel. | Employment counsel. |
Sources checked on 10 October 2026. Rules change: the decision file dates every source it relies on.
Before a briefing
Questions buyers ask first.
What does India market entry consulting include here?
A decision file built around one product, corridor and customer question: demand and competitor evidence, trade and product-specific regulatory checks, and a go, wait or narrow recommendation with the next validation test. Scout delivers it in 10 business days. Accelerator adds a readiness assessment, a 90-day action plan and four advisory sessions over 4 to 6 weeks.
Do you incorporate the company or give legal and tax advice?
No. The file supports a commercial decision. It is not legal advice, customs clearance, incorporation or a launch guarantee. It lists the questions for Indian corporate counsel, foreign-investment counsel and a tax adviser, so their work starts from a defined route.
Where do the figures come from?
From the official datasets and regulatory portals that fit the question, such as World Bank indicators, ITC Trade Map, WTO tariff data, EU Access2Markets and the BIS, CDSCO and FSSAI portals, plus company material. Each figure carries its source and date, and proxies or estimates are labelled as such. Read the methodology
Can we stop after the first report?
Yes. Each engagement ends on a decision, and the work stops if the answer is no. Scout is built for that point: one focused question before a deeper investment.
Do you also work on the corridor from India to Europe and the United States?
Yes. For Indian exporters and the importers who source from them, the work connects HS exposure, rules of origin and the EU obligations that still apply after a tariff change. See the From India corridor
When analysis meets execution
A partner introduction is a separate, scoped step.
If your brief needs an operational introduction, we can discuss the next step after the partner question is clear. Any introduction is based on the agreed scope and your consent.
Discuss a partner need ↗Start with the question
Bring the decision to the desk.
Request a confidential briefing and choose a standard report, custom MIR or advisory scope.
Talk to an India market specialist