Direct Answer: M&A advisory for India covers UAE investors acquiring Indian businesses, Indian companies raising from UAE capital, sell-side advisory, financial due diligence, independent business valuation (INR and AED denominated), and cross-border transaction structuring. Corvian Advisory is the specialist UAE-India corridor M&A advisor, leveraging the India-UAE CEPA (2022), GIFT City IFSC framework, and the UAE's 3.5 million-strong Indian diaspora. From INR 10 Crore.
Whether you are a UAE investor acquiring an Indian business, an Indian business seeking UAE capital, or need India M&A financial due diligence or valuation, we manage the full process across both jurisdictions.
Full sell-side mandate management for Indian businesses seeking UAE, GCC, or international acquirers. Requires SEBI SAST compliance for listed targets, RBI FEMA pricing guidelines, GST/income tax clean audit, and a CIM narrative positioning for CEPA strategic buyers. Across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune.
We represent UAE and GCC buyers acquiring Indian businesses. Requires FEMA route assessment, SEBI SAST open offer planning (triggered at 25%), sector FDI caps assessment, pricing guideline compliance, and GIFT City IFSC structure assessment.
Independent FDD for UAE and GCC buyers acquiring Indian businesses. Our India QoE report addresses GST compliance, promoter-group related-party transactions, working capital patterns, ESOP liability, income tax position, and Ind AS/IFRS bridging. Delivered in 4–5 weeks.
Strategic pre-sale advisory for Indian business owners, from exit readiness through deal close. We navigate SEBI, RBI FEMA, and cross-border M&A requirements.
Fundraising advisory for Indian businesses seeking UAE and GCC capital, UAE family offices, GCC PE funds, and CEPA strategic investors. We prepare investor-grade materials and manage the process through to term sheet. Strong for IT, fintech, healthcare, and manufacturing growth capital.
Specialist advisory for the UAE-India bilateral corridor, UAE's second-largest trading partner, home to 3.5 million Indian nationals. We understand both sides: UAE CT (9%), DIFC/ADGM holding structures, RBI FEMA routing, SEBI SAST compliance, and GIFT City IFSC structures.
The UAE-India bilateral M&A corridor is the GCC's most active emerging market investment route. India is UAE's second-largest trading partner (USD 80B+ bilateral trade). The India-UAE CEPA, signed February 2022, has accelerated investment flows in both directions. The UAE's 3.5 million-strong Indian diaspora creates natural deal flow and trust that no other GCC-India advisor can replicate.
India's regulatory framework, FEMA FDI routes, SEBI SAST open offer requirements, RBI pricing guidelines, CCI review, and GST/income tax complexity, requires specialist knowledge most UAE-based advisors lack. Corvian brings dual-jurisdiction expertise: UAE-side deal origination combined with India-side FEMA compliance, SEBI regulatory planning, and India FDD expertise.
"India is the UAE's second-largest trading partner. The right advisor understands both jurisdictions, UAE CT, UAE holdco structures, India FEMA, SEBI SAST, and GIFT City IFSC."
Deep understanding of CEPA preferential tariff schedules, rules of origin, and investment facilitation. We map sector opportunities for UAE acquirers and position Indian businesses for CEPA-aligned buyers.
RBI FEMA FDI automatic route vs government approval, pricing guidelines, SEBI SAST open offer planning, and CCI merger control thresholds.
GIFT City IFSC provides a regulated framework for cross-border India M&A. We understand when routing adds value and how to structure it correctly for UAE investors.
GST compliance, promoter-group related-party transactions, ESOP liability, extended payment terms, and India income tax position analysis, we handle all of it.
Direct UAE-side relationships with corporate groups, GCC family offices, and DIFC-based PE funds actively looking for Indian acquisitions in IT, healthcare, consumer, and manufacturing.
Our senior team works directly on every India mandate from day one to close, with dual-jurisdiction expertise held across the same senior team throughout.
India is the world's fifth-largest economy and its fastest-growing major economy. Its M&A market is driven by technology sector consolidation, healthcare growth, manufacturing expansion (India+1 supply chain), and India-UAE CEPA bilateral investment acceleration.
India's M&A market is shaped by three structural forces. First, technology sector consolidation, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and NCR produce acquirable technology and fintech businesses at scale, with UAE buyers an important and growing capital source.
Second, India+1 manufacturing, global supply chain diversification has accelerated India's position as a manufacturing alternative in electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles and precision engineering, with substantial FDI inflows.
Third, healthcare, India's private healthcare sector (hospital networks, diagnostic chains, pharma manufacturers, healthtech) attracts UAE and international acquirers combining cost efficiency and growing domestic demand.
| Sector | EV/EBITDA | UAE Buyer Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Technology & IT Services | 12–28x | Very Active |
| Fintech & Payments | 15–35x | Very Active |
| Healthcare & Pharma | 10–20x | Active |
| Manufacturing & Engineering | 7–14x | Growing |
| Consumer & Retail | 8–16x | Growing |
| Education & EdTech | 10–22x | Growing |
| Logistics & Supply Chain | 7–14x | Strategic |
| Real Estate Services | 6–11x | Strategic |
Indicative EV/EBITDA multiples from India mid-market comparable transactions.
India's regulatory framework for foreign investment is managed by RBI (FEMA), SEBI (listed companies), and CCI (competition). India-UAE CEPA creates preferential treatment for certain UAE-origin investments.
Business valuation is a separate discipline from M&A advisory. Our dedicated India Business Valuation page covers the full range of independent valuation services with INR pricing, RBI FEMA compliance, SEBI methodology, and Ind AS context.
CFA-led, IVS-compliant business valuations for Indian companies. RBI FEMA-compliant pricing. INR and AED denominated. Fixed-fee. Delivered in 5–10 business days.
A structured five-step process managing both UAE-side origination and India-side FEMA, SEBI, and CCI regulatory compliance.
CEPA sector mapping, FEMA automatic route vs government approval, SEBI SAST open offer planning, CCI merger threshold check.
IVS-compliant FEMA pricing valuation (INR and AED), CIM preparation, UAE holdco structure via DIFC/ADGM or GIFT City IFSC.
Financial DD: QoE, GST, promoter related-parties, ESOP, income tax, working capital. Legal DD: FEMA, IP, employment, licences.
Negotiation of heads of terms, LOI, and SPA. Cross-border SPA requires careful choice of governing law and FEMA-compliant payment terms.
SPA execution, RBI FEMA filings, MCA company law filings, CCI filing where required. SEBI open offer completion for listed targets.
Corvian structures every India mandate with a fixed, agreed fee before work begins. For M&A mandates, fees are agreed upfront. Standalone services are fixed-fee, agreed before engagement start. All fees quoted in both INR and AED for cross-border mandates.
"India's M&A regulatory complexity, FEMA, SEBI SAST, GST, income tax, CCI, requires specialist dual-jurisdiction advisory. The India-UAE CEPA corridor rewards advisors who understand both sides of the trade."
Fee structure agreed in writing before work begins. Agreed at mandate signing. INR and AED denominated.
Fixed fee. Includes QoE, GST, income tax, promoter related-parties, ESOP, working capital. (~AED 14K–120K)
Fees agreed upfront for most buy-side mandates.
Intangible asset valuation and Ind AS 103 PPA from INR 1,00,000. All fees fixed. Contact us for a specific quote.
Structuring an India-UAE transaction well means understanding both SEBI/RBI requirements on valuation (Rule 11UA) and pricing, and how a GCC-based buyer or seller actually thinks about deal terms. Most advisors are strong on one side of that corridor and thinner on the other. We run the full transaction ourselves â senior-led, with fees agreed upfront â rather than routing either half through a referral partner.
A Mumbai technology business sold to a GCC strategic acquirer, with normalised EBITDA and Rule 11UA valuation compliance ahead of outreach. Company name withheld.
Target search and DTAA-structured due diligence for a UAE family office's acquisition of a Bengaluru services business, plus an 18-month exit readiness programme for a Delhi NCR consumer group. Deal terms confidential.
Common questions from UAE investors, Indian business owners, and NRIs considering India M&A transactions.
"We were a Dubai-based group acquiring a Bengaluru IT services business. Corvian's India FDD correctly handled the GST position, identified three promoter related-party adjustments that reduced our EBITDA assessment by 15%, and managed the FEMA pricing valuation."
"Our Mumbai-based healthcare business wanted UAE capital for expansion. Corvian positioned us around India-UAE CEPA sector alignment and arranged introductions to three UAE family office investors in six weeks. The dual-denominated INR/AED valuation made investor conversations much simpler."
"We needed a FEMA-compliant fair market value report for an Indian manufacturing acquisition by our DIFC holding company. Corvian delivered in eight business days with full SEBI methodology compliance and a GIFT City IFSC routing memo. Accepted by RBI without revision."
Whether you're a UAE investor targeting India, an Indian business seeking UAE capital, or need FEMA-compliant valuation, we respond within 24 hours.