Norwegian company subsidiary in India

How Norwegian Companies Can
Expand into India

Post-EFTA TEPA, the Norway–India Corridor Has a New Investment Floor

DTAA, EFTA TEPA Tariff Benefits, AS-Friendly Setup

Norway-India trade has historically been anchored by maritime services, oil & gas equipment, classification and certification (DNV), and fertilizer (Yara). The signing of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in March 2024 changed the strategic context — EFTA states (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) committed USD 100 billion of FDI into India over 15 years in return for preferential tariff access. For Norwegian companies, that political-economic floor combined with the existing 10% flat DTAA regime makes India a clearly priced market.

This page covers the India-Norway DTAA, EFTA TEPA implications for Norwegian goods and services exporters establishing an Indian subsidiary, AS document chain, and sector fit. The cross-country playbook lives in our pillar guide on Foreign Company Registration in India.

India-Norway DTAA Highlights
  • Dividends (Art. 10): 10% withholding in India for Norwegian parent shareholders.
  • Royalty (Art. 12): 10% — relevant for Norwegian maritime and energy IP licensing.
  • Fees for Technical Services (Art. 12): 10% on technical and consulting flows.
  • Interest (Art. 11): 10% on intercompany / project lending.
  • Offshore activities (Art. 5(4)): specific PE rules for upstream oil & gas; 30-day threshold.
  • MLI overlay: Principal Purpose Test applies; commercial substance required.
India-EFTA TEPA — What It Means for Norwegian Companies
  • Tariff access: preferential tariff lines on a wide range of industrial and processed-seafood exports from Norway to India.
  • Investment commitments: EFTA committed USD 100 billion of FDI into India over 15 years (USD 50 billion in first 10 years), with sectoral focus on green tech, pharma, machinery, food processing.
  • Services chapter: facilitates cross-border professional services and recognises mobility for skilled personnel.
  • Sustainability: includes provisions on labour, environment, and gender — aligns well with Norwegian corporate ESG mandates.

The TEPA framework is meaningful at the planning stage — if your India investment counts toward the EFTA commitment, certain state-level facilitations are easier to access. We help frame the investment narrative accordingly.

AS / ASA — Document & Apostille Notes
  • Foretaksregisteret extract: from Brønnøysund Register Centre; evidences AS/ASA legal existence; valid 3–6 months.
  • Apostille: Norway is a Hague Convention member; apostille issued by the Statsforvalteren of the relevant county.
  • Translation: Norwegian-language documents (vedtekter, audited accounts) translated to English by an authorised translator.
  • Vedtekter (articles of association): apostilled and translated for ROC filing alongside SPICe+.
  • Board resolution: authorising Indian subsidiary, share subscription, and Authorised Representative for India.
Sector Fit for Norwegian Companies in India
  • Energy & oil/gas: Equinor (offshore E&P partnerships with ONGC, RIL), Aker BP services, Aker Solutions.
  • Maritime & shipping: Wilhelmsen (ship-management, port services), DNV (classification, certification).
  • Seafood: Norwegian Seafood Council promotion + Indian distribution / processing JVs.
  • Fertilizer & crop nutrition: Yara India (manufacturing and distribution).
  • Aluminium & metals: Norsk Hydro presence and partnerships.
  • Software & SaaS: growing presence in Bengaluru and Pune for engineering services and product development.

Norwegian parent planning an India entry under TEPA or independently? Talk to us — we coordinate with Innovation Norway / NBAI where useful and run the full setup engagement in English.