Advocate Aayush AgarwalCorporate and workplace legal services
Vendor Due Diligence and Legal Advisory in India
A vendor relationship can expose an organisation to contractual, regulatory, data, labour, fraud, continuity and reputation risk. Legal due diligence should test the supplier’s identity, authority, licences, ownership, sanctions or litigation indicators, operational dependencies and evidence supporting key claims. The depth of review should reflect risk, value, data access, customer impact, geography and substitutability rather than applying the same checklist to every supplier.
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Onboarding documents
A scoped review may cover constitutional and tax records, authorised signatories, licences, financial and insurance evidence, litigation disclosures, subcontractors, information-security materials, employment and labour declarations, anti-bribery commitments, conflicts, beneficial ownership and business-continuity arrangements. Documents should be verified against suitable official or independent sources where available, with unresolved gaps recorded rather than assumed away.
Contract controls
The agreement should define deliverables, service levels, acceptance, pricing, taxes, confidentiality, intellectual property, data use, audit rights, incident notification, subcontracting, personnel, warranties, indemnity, liability, insurance, suspension, exit assistance, termination and dispute resolution. Risk allocation must match the service; copying broad clauses without considering enforceability or commercial reality can create false confidence.
Ongoing monitoring
Due diligence is not complete at signing. Higher-risk suppliers may require periodic certifications, performance review, licence renewal checks, security evidence, incident reporting, financial monitoring and change-of-control notification. Procurement, business owners, information security, finance and legal teams should have defined responsibilities and escalation criteria.
Professional scope
Advocate Aayush Agarwal considers India-law vendor and contract reviews after the intended transaction, documents, risk tier and deadline are identified. A preliminary consultation is not an assurance that a supplier is risk-free. See the corporate compliance guide and corporate compliance services.
Frequently asked questions
What should be prepared for the first consultation?
Prepare a concise chronology, the relevant policies or agreements, notices or complaints, key dates and the specific decision or document requiring review.
Is the initial consultation free?
A free initial consultation may be requested subject to appointment availability, conflict checks and suitability. Drafting, training and representation require a separate written scope.
Does consultation guarantee compliance or an outcome?
No. Compliance depends on accurate facts, implementation and applicable law. No legal or commercial outcome is guaranteed.
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