A Branch Office (also known as Representative Office) can undertake only Branch activities, i.e. it can act as a channel of communication between Head Office abroad and parties in India. It is not allowed to undertake any business activity in India and cannot earn any income in India. Expenses of such offices are to be met entirely through inward remittances of foreign exchange from the Head Office outside India. The role of such offices is, therefore, limited to collecting information about possible market opportunities and providing information about the company and its products to the prospective Indian customers. A Branch Office can undertake the following activities in India:
(a) Representing in India the parent company / group companies.
(b) Promoting export / import from / to India.
(c) Promoting technical/financial collaborations between parent/group companies and companies in India.
(d) Acting as a communication channel between the parent company and Indian companies.
