Mere fact that a company is doing business in India or that it is a party to a joint venture in India would not mean that it has established a place of business in India

Status of foreign company without office in India – The Bombay high court has stated that according to Section 591 of the Companies Act a foreign company is one which has a “place of business” within India. The mere fact that a company is doing business in India or that it is a party to a joint venture in India would not mean that it has established a place of business in India, the high court stated in the judgment, Willis Europe BV vs Willis India Insurance Brokers (P) Ltd. The case was about winding up of a company which was a joint venture with a Dutch insurance company doing business in India but had no place of business here.