ARTICLE · 09 JANUARY 2020

2019 Year In Review: Key Developments That Impacted Startups

GameChanger Law Advisors

Explore more from GameChanger Law Advisors

India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world as well as the 3rd highest number of unicorns. In 2019, 7 companies have reached the esteemed unicorn status and 50 more were added to the soon-to-be unicorn list.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Srikanth Bhaskar

Author LinkedIn connections

#1 How the FDI Policy changed the landscape for e-commerce platforms

Introduction

India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world as well as the 3rd highest number of unicorns. In 2019, 7 companies have reached the esteemed unicorn status and 50 more were added to the soon-to-be unicorn list. During this time, the Government of India has introduced various legal and policy measures, which have had an impact on how startups operate. In the first of my posts on 'Key developments that impacted startups in 2019', I discuss the provisions of Press Note 2 of 2018 (which was issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on December 26 last year) ("Press Note") and which subsequently percolated into new rules formulated by the Reserve Bank of India i.e. the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 ("NDI Rules"), as amended by the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Amendment) Rules, 2019 ("Amendment Rules"), with specific

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Investing In India From Hong Kong: Press Note 3, FDI Approvals And The 2026 Regulatory Framework

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

King, Stubb & Kasiva

"Nobody Will Trust You": What The Supreme Court's Vedanta–Ravva Order Tells Foreign Investors About Enforcing Awards Against The Indian State

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

More Than Boilerplate: Change-in-Law Clauses And The Price Of Regulatory Uncertainty

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Courier Agent – No Contravention Of Courier Imports And Exports Regulations For Non-Collection Of Second Identity Document And Outsourcing Of Physical Pick-Up

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

India’s Wave Of Gen Z Protests And Growing Distrust In Democratic Institutions

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

See more popular content from

Government, Public Sector

Judicial Review In India: Importance, Landmark Cases And Criticism

The Constitution of India provides for an independent judiciary that acts as a guardian of the Constitution and protects the rights of the citizens.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Century Law Firm

Fundamental Rights And Duties In Indian Constitution: Explained In Detail

The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the land, which lays down the basic framework and principles for the governance of the country.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Century Law Firm

Article 19 Of The Indian Constitution: A Comprehensive Analysis

The Indian Constitution, the world's lengthiest written constitution, is a testament to the country's diverse culture and rich heritage.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Century Law Firm

Special Intensive Revision And Constitutional Electoral Integrity In India

An analysis of the constitutional validity of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, examining Article 324, Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, procedural safeguards and the Supreme Court’s decision in Association for Democratic Reforms v. ECI.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys

Punjab And Haryana High Court Strikes Down JAO - FAO Retrospective Amendment As Unconstitutional

The Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) in Jyoti Sareen vs. UOI & Others (CWP No. 15791-2024 (O&M)) (Order) held the retrospective amendments carried out vide the Finance Act, 2026, with respect to the powers of the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer (JAO) to issue a reopening notice under section 148 (Reopening Notice) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (IT Act), as unconstitutional, being violative of the ‘doctrine of separation of powers’ and thus violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Maharashtra Stamp (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2026: Stamp Duty Payable On Different Classes Of Guarantees

The Maharashtra Stamp (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2026 (Bill) introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on 7 July 2026 proposes a significant reform to the stamp duty treatment of guarantees under the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 1958 (Maharashtra Stamp Act).

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Acquisition By An FOCC Of An Indian Company: Pricing Conditions For Resident And Non-resident Shareholders

A FOCC refers to an Indian entity that has received foreign investment and is ultimately owned or controlled by persons resident outside India. Although incorporated in India under the Companies Act, such entities are treated differently from domestically owned and controlled Indian companies for the purposes of foreign investment regulation and downstream investment structuring. Consequently, an FOCC, despite being an Indian incorporated entity, is subject to regulatory conditions applicable to foreign investment while undertaking investments into other Indian entities.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Government Of Maharashtra Amends The Maharashtra Stamp Act 1958.

The Government of Maharashtra has recently enacted the Maharashtra Stamp (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, which further amends the Maharashtra Stamp Act of 1958.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

Mansukhlal Hiralal & Company

Is Medical Condition Grounds For Granting Bail In India?

Bail is a legal mechanism that allows an accused person to be released from custody pending trial, subject to certain conditions.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector

White & Brief – Advocate and Solicitors

India Eases Press Note 3 Restrictions On Investments From Land-bordering Countries

On March 10, 2026 the Indian government approved amendments to India’s FDI regime relating to investments from countries sharing a land border with India. These are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

IndiaGovernment, Public Sector