Khaitan & Co acted as legal counsel to SoftBank Group Corp. on the redomiciliation of Meesho Inc. from the United States to India. The inward merger was approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under the Companies Act, 2013, effectively shifting Meesho’s legal headquarters to India.
The transaction highlights the increasing trend of high-growth Indian strtups realigning their global corporate structures to simplify compliance and access local capital markets.
Deal Overview
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Major Investor | SoftBank Group Corp. |
| Original Entity | Meesho Inc. (US) |
| Merged Entity | Meesho India (Domestic subsidiary) |
| Legal Counsel | Khaitan & Co |
| Route | Inward Merger under Companies Act, 2013, via NCLT approval |
| Sector | E-commerce, Social Commerce |
Parties Involved
SoftBank Group Corp.: Majority shareholder driving the strategic realignment.
Meesho Inc.: The US-incorporated entity that merged into its Indian subsidiary.
Meesho India: The domestic company into which Meesho Inc. was merged, becoming the new holding entity.
Legal Counsel: Khaitan & Co acted for SoftBank Group Corp. on the redomiciliation structure and regulatory process.
Khaitan & Co Deal Team
The Khaitan team advising SoftBank included:
Bharat Anand – Partner
Nidhi Killawala – Partner
Ishaan Chopra – Associate
Sakshi Garg – Associate
Pranjal Prateek – Competition Law Specialist
The team handled structuring, regulatory advice, merger filings, competition aspects, and the NCLT approval process.
Key Transaction Highlights
The merger was sanctioned by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), completing the legal shift from a US to India domicile.
The structure helps Meesho align its corporate setup with India’s foreign direct investment (FDI) norms, tax laws, and upcoming IPO readiness.
Follows the broader trend of Indian startups with significant domestic operations bringing their headquarters back home.
Strategic Significance
For SoftBank, the move enables closer oversight of Meesho’s India-focused operations, improves governance within the Indian regulatory framework, and aligns the capital structure for potential local fundraising.
For Meesho, this redomiciliation can simplify compliance with Indian securities laws, strengthen investor confidence, and facilitate smoother domestic IPO or funding processes in the future.
Why It Matters
As India’s startup ecosystem matures, more unicorns and high-growth digital businesses are revisiting complex offshore structures created during early funding rounds. India’s clear inward merger rules under the Companies Act, coupled with NCLT oversight, now provide a stable pathway for companies like Meesho to realign headquarters to their largest market.
As Indian unicorns scale and prepare for local IPOs, inward mergers are emerging as a preferred strategy to simplify structures, meet compliance norms, and unlock domestic market value.
Also Read: S&R Associates Advises Oswal Pumps on ₹1,387 Crore IPO
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Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Readers should consult professionals before making decisions.
