Nasdaq listing for India companies.
The senior US venue for growth companies. A reverse takeover reaches Nasdaq either by merging into a Nasdaq-listed shell or by uplisting from the OTC Markets once the initial listing standards are met.
For a private company in India, the Nasdaq Stock Market can be reached through a reverse takeover — the merger of the operating business into a shell company — provided the applicable listing standards are met.
- A India company can reach the Nasdaq Stock Market by merging into a listed shell, or by uplisting to it from a lower tier once the standards are met.
- Nasdaq operates three tiers — the Capital Market, the Global Market, and the Global Select Market — each with quantitative thresholds for equity or market value, public float, shareholders, and a minimum US$4.00 bid price, plus corporate-governance requirements.
- US-standard audited financials from a PCAOB-registered auditor are required, and are usually the critical-path item.
- Reverse Takeover arranges and coordinates the transaction; the regulated work is done by licensed specialists.
The route in brief
| Venue | Nasdaq — the Nasdaq Stock Market |
|---|---|
| Route | Reverse takeover into a listed shell, or uplisting from a lower tier once standards are met. |
| Standards | Nasdaq operates three tiers — the Capital Market, the Global Market, and the Global Select Market — each with quantitative thresholds for equity or market value, public float, shareholders, and a minimum US$4.00 bid price, plus corporate-governance requirements. |
| Home market | National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSE · regulator SEBI |
| Currency | Indian rupee (INR) |
| Our role | Advisory and arranger; not a broker-dealer, law firm or auditor. |
Nasdaq for India companies
Nasdaq is the venue most Indian SaaS, consumer-internet and life-sciences founders envisage, sitting them among the global technology names US investors already hold. Groups with the float and scale to clear the Global or Global Select tiers gain index visibility and specialist coverage; reaching Nasdaq via a shell merger or an OTC uplift keeps sequencing flexible while the offshore structure and audit are finalised.
Structuring a reverse takeover from India
This is where India demands the most care. Under FEMA, administered by the Reserve Bank of India, outbound investment is governed by the Overseas Investment Rules and Regulations of 2022, which distinguish overseas direct investment from portfolio investment and set conditions on how residents may hold foreign entities. Creating a US-listed parent usually means an offshore holding company — often in a familiar jurisdiction — into which the Indian business is contributed or exchanged, an “externalisation” or flip that engages round-tripping rules; the 2022 regime permits limited structures where an overseas entity holds back into India, but only within prescribed layers and conditions and not to circumvent the law. India's own overseas-listing framework, operationalised for GIFT City IFSC exchanges, does not currently extend to direct listings on US exchanges. Share-swap valuation, indirect-transfer tax and RBI reporting all apply. None of this is a template step — it must be set with Indian and US counsel and tax advisers, subject to current rules and specialist advice.
Considering Nasdaq for your India company?
Start an enquiry →Nasdaq listing for India companies — FAQ
Q1Can a India company list on Nasdaq via reverse takeover?
A India company can reach the Nasdaq Stock Market by merging into a shell already listed there, or by uplisting once it meets the applicable standards. Nasdaq operates three tiers — the Capital Market, the Global Market, and the Global Select Market — each with quantitative thresholds for equity or market value, public float, shareholders, and a minimum US$4.00 bid price, plus corporate-governance requirements.
Q2What are the Nasdaq listing standards?
Nasdaq operates three tiers — the Capital Market, the Global Market, and the Global Select Market — each with quantitative thresholds for equity or market value, public float, shareholders, and a minimum US$4.00 bid price, plus corporate-governance requirements. Meeting these standards, and maintaining them, is assessed with US securities counsel as part of the transaction.
Q3Is Reverse Takeover a broker-dealer?
No. Reverse Takeover is an advisory and arranger, not a registered broker-dealer, law firm or auditor. Regulated activities are performed by licensed US securities counsel, PCAOB-registered auditors, transfer agents and broker-dealers coordinated on the transaction.
Other US venues for India companies
- NYSE American listingIndia → NYSE American
- OTC Markets listingIndia → OTC Markets
- India — all routesCountry overview
This page is general, educational information about listing routes and is not investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice, nor an offer or solicitation. Regulatory details change and vary by circumstance; obtain advice from qualified US securities counsel and your home-market advisers. See our disclosures.