The Hire Ground Guide to Building & Operating Teams in India
Everything global leaders need to know about talent, employment, compliance, infrastructure and day-to-day team operations in India.
India is no longer simply an offshore talent destination. It is a strategic operating base for global companies building engineering, technology, finance and operational teams at scale. This guide explores the talent landscape, employment framework, operating costs, infrastructure and management considerations involved in building a high-performing India team.
7+ hrs
UK-hours coverage with aligned shifts
Lower CTC
Competitive employment costs vs. UK hiring
Deep talent pool
Engineering, AI, finance and operations
Multiple tech hubs
Bengaluru · Hyderabad · Pune · NCR
Choosing the Right Operating Model in India
How Does an Employer of Record Work in India?
An Employer of Record (EOR) allows a foreign company to hire employees in India without setting up its own Indian legal entity.
The EOR becomes the employee’s legal employer in India and takes responsibility for the local employment framework, including:
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Employment contracts
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Payroll processing
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Tax deductions
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Statutory benefits and contributions
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Leave administration
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Local HR compliance
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Required employment documentation
Your business still directs the employee’s day-to-day work, priorities, performance and output.
So, in simple terms:
You manage the work. The EOR manages the employment.
For companies entering India, this can be a faster and lower-complexity way to start building a local team before deciding whether to establish a permanent Indian entity.
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Where Hire Ground goes further
A traditional EOR typically stops at legal employment and payroll.
Hire Ground adds the operational layer around the employee.
Alongside EOR services, Hire Ground can support:
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Talent sourcing and recruitment
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Office workspace
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IT hardware and setup
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UK-hours shift alignment
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Employee onboarding
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HR support
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Employee welfare and retention
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Workforce scheduling
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Capacity and attendance visibility
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Ongoing operational management
So the difference is:
Traditional EOR Employs your team.
Hire Ground helps you build, employ, operate and optimise your team.
More than an Employer of Record, Hire Ground provides the people, infrastructure and operating support behind your India team.
Employment, Labour Law & Compliance
01 Working Hours & Overtime
Working hours, weekly limits and overtime requirements vary across applicable central and state legislation. Hire Ground structures employee schedules around the relevant location and operating model.
02 Leave & Holidays
Leave entitlements combine statutory requirements, state-specific rules and company policy. Hire Ground manages holiday calendars, leave balances and employee requests.
Where Should You Build Your India Team?
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Best for: Software engineering, AI, SaaS, fintech, product development
Strength: deepest technology ecosystem
Hyderabad
Best for: Enterprise technology, cloud, GCC operations, data
Strength: strong infrastructure and growing global-capability ecosystem
Pune
Best for: Engineering, R&D, software delivery, QA
Strength: strong talent-to-cost balance
Delhi NCR/Gurgaon/Noida
Best for: Operations, fintech, consulting, customer support, leadership
Strength: strong commercial and corporate talent base
EOR vs. Hire Ground: What’s the Difference?
An EOR solves legal employment. Hire Ground provides the operating infrastructure around the employee as well.
Standard EOR
Legal employment, Payroll, Statutory compliance
Hire Ground
Legal employment, Payroll, Statutory compliance
+ Recruitment
+ Workspace & IT
+ UK-hours scheduling
+ HR operations
+ Employee experience
+ Capacity & workforce visibility
+ Hire Ground platform
More than employment. A complete operating layer for your India team.
Understanding India’s Cost to Company (CTC)
In India, Cost to Company (CTC) represents the total annual cost of employing an individual. It can include salary, allowances, benefits and statutory employer contributions.
Base Salary
The employee’s core cash compensation.
Allowances & Benefits
May include housing, transport, health insurance and other employee benefits.
Statutory Contributions
Depending on eligibility, costs can include EPF, ESI, gratuity and other employment-related obligations.
Hire Ground Operating Costs
Shown separately from employee compensation and can include recruitment, EOR, payroll, workspace, IT, HR support and platform access.
Transparent Costing
Employee CTC
Salary + benefits + statutory costs
+ Hire Ground Operations
Infrastructure + HR + technology + support
= Total Cost of Your India Team
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Enterprise Physical & IT Security
Unlike remote-only employment models, Hire Ground combines secure workspace, managed technology and operational controls to help protect your team, systems and intellectual property.
Secure Workspaces
Dedicated work areas can include controlled building access, CCTV, visitor management and clean-desk policies, depending on the facility and operating model.
Managed Devices
Company-approved Mac or Windows devices can be configured with endpoint security, device management and access controls aligned to your internal IT requirements.
Resilient Connectivity
Managed office environments can provide business-grade internet, backup connectivity and power resilience to support reliable day-to-day operations.
Data & IP Governance
Hire Ground supports clear contractual IP assignment, controlled access to systems and appropriate data-handling processes around your India team.
Security Built Around Your Requirements
We work with your IT and security teams to align workspace, hardware, access and operational controls with the needs of your organisation.
Understanding Permanent Establishment (PE) Risk
Expanding into India can create Permanent Establishment (PE) considerations for an overseas company, depending on how the local team operates, the activities they perform and the authority they exercise on behalf of the business.
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Under the UK–India tax treaty, a PE can arise in circumstances including a fixed place of business or where certain individuals habitually negotiate or enter into contracts on behalf of the overseas company
How Hire Ground Supports You
Hire Ground helps create a clear operating structure around your India team.
We provide the local employment framework, HR administration, workspace and operational support, while clearly defining the responsibilities of Hire Ground and the client.
This can include:
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Clear local employer arrangements
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Defined employee and client responsibilities
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Documented operational processes
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Controlled workspace and HR infrastructure
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Support for your legal and tax advisers when reviewing your India model
The aim is to help you build a well-structured, transparent operating model, while your own tax advisers assess any PE exposure specific to your business.
Running an India Team Day to Day
UK-Hours Alignment
Design shifts around meaningful real-time collaboration with UK teams.
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Capacity Planning
Understand who is available, overloaded or underutilised.
Employee Experience
Support retention through HR, benefits, workplace and wellbeing.
Workforce Intelligence
Monitor attendance, scheduling, performance and future team needs.