India Inc's legal expenses to cross ₹60,000 crore in FY25
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Rising compliance burden, digital transformation and growing deal activity are expected to drive India Inc.’s legal expenses past the ₹60,000-crore mark in the ongoing financial year. “We project Indian companies' aggregate legal expenses for FY25 to jump 15%–18% from FY24," said Ritvik Lukose, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Vahura, a compliance and governance-focused search and advisory firm.
“This growth reflects evolving needs in a complex legal environment." In FY24, Indian companies' aggregate legal expenses stood at ₹52,568 crore, jumping 17% on-year over ₹44,920 crore in FY23, according to the firm. This was driven by increased global deal activity, higher dispute resolution costs, and growing compliance expenses. The top 50 companies accounted for ₹21,389 crore of this expenditure in FY25,reflecting a 17.4% growth.
Law firms expect double-digit increases to continue for the next few years. Khaitan & Co. estimates the collective legal spend of Indian corporates to be north of ₹50,000 crore this fiscal.
Also read | India Inc’s dull earnings outlook signals tougher times ahead for markets “This increase is largely driven by a sharp rise in statutory fees, taxes, and duties, which has significantly raised compliance costs," said Tina Gosar, chief financial officer at the law firm. “As a result, companies are investing more in legal services for enhanced compliance and risk management." With business growth and emerging opportunities in a complex and uncertain global market, the law firm anticipates a steady rise in deal activities and asset protection. "The growing volume of commercial disputes and investigations will also contribute to the continued rise in legal
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