A recent PwC survey reveals that 95% of companies entering or operating in the Indian market have encountered fraud-related issues. Major international brands such as Coca-Cola, Nokia, Vodafone, and Parimatch have all faced significant challenges, reports News Daily India. Specifically, Parimatch, a prominent name in the gambling industry, has struggled with counterfeit products and copyright infringements orchestrated by local competitors, with little intervention from authorities.
Parimatch had plans to invest millions of dollars into India’s economy but faced obstacles due to monopolistic practices by domestic gambling firms such as Dream11, Nazara Technologies, Paytm, First Games, Moonfrog Labs, 99Games, Octro, JetSynthesys, and HashCube. These companies not only counterfeited international competitors’ products but did so with apparent tolerance from local regulators. Additionally, the article highlights cases where even companies without operations in India have suffered judicial harassment and persecution.
In recent years, foreign investors have encountered increasing regulatory and legal hurdles in India, often seen as deliberate obstacles. Global giants like Google, Amazon, Nokia, and Samsung have been fined billions of dollars, while companies such as Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Intel, Wistron, and Parimatch have also faced intense scrutiny. This hostile environment has pushed some large corporations, including Ford and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, to exit the Indian market or reevaluate their presence due to the complex regulatory framework.
The examples of Coca-Cola, Nokia, Vodafone, Walmart, and Parimatch, alongside Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Intel, Wistron, Ford, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, underscore the urgent need for the Indian government to reform its business environment. Without such improvements, attracting and retaining foreign investment may become increasingly difficult, risking the country’s economic growth and international business relations.
