Foreign Law Firms and Lawyers in India: BCI Amendment 2025

The Bar Council of India (“BCI”) has recently amended the Bar Council of India Rules (“BCI Rules”) for the Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India in 2022. This long-awaited amendment allows foreign lawyers and law firms to practice international arbitration and non-Indian laws in the country. The change in the legislative framework is not sudden but the consequence of prolonged and continuous debates over this burning issue. INTRODUCTION The BCI has, through this amendment, opened the gates for foreign law firms in the country. However, their practices are only limited to non-litigation services, advisory services, international matters, international arbitration, foreign laws, and reciprocity-based access. The BCI is the authority endorsing the Indian legal consultancy and litigation services.