Foreign law firms are welcomed in India, but reservations remain.

• In February 2000, over 40,000 lawyers protested against the entry of foreign law firms and lawyers into India.

• The Bar Council of India (BCI) notified a set of rules permitting foreign law firms and lawyers to practice in India on May 14, 2025.

• The rules restrict their role to non-litigious matters, limited to foreign and international law, and on a reciprocal basis.

• The Supreme Court ruled in March 2018 that foreign law firms and foreign lawyers could not practice law in India either on the litigation or non-litigation side.

• The BCI’s 2023 notification allowed foreign lawyers to function in non-litigious areas only, but the latest iteration in May 2025 has cemented the policy shift.

• Lalit Bhasin, chairman of the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), welcomed the move, stating it would be a good opening for young lawyers.

• Haigreve Khaitan, senior partner at Khaitan & Co, called the move a positive step, predicting increased knowledge sharing, innovation, and faster adoption of global best practices.

• Former Bar Council of Delhi chairman K.C. Mittal raised questions about reciprocity, stating it is against the Advocates Act and that the claim of reciprocity is illusionary.