Evidence-based research that informs policy, empowers decisions, and advances the profession
India's legal services market is one of the largest and fastest-growing in the world — yet it remains overwhelmingly unorganised, under-capitalised, and invisible to global legal rankings and trade flows. AILF's research programme quantifies this opportunity and advocates for the structural reforms needed to unlock it.
India's legal services are not classified as exports under the Foreign Trade Policy, meaning law firms cannot access RoDTEP, SEIS, or other export incentive frameworks available to IT, consulting, and manufacturing exporters. AILF advocates for formal legal services export recognition and the inclusion of law firms in India's services trade promotion architecture.
Legal services attract 18% GST while input credits are restricted, creating an effective tax burden that disadvantages Indian law firms in competition with international counterparts. AILF advocates for input credit restoration, rationalised rates, and clarity on inter-state service provisions for law firm operations.
India has the judicial talent, legal tradition, and commercial volume to be a leading global arbitration destination. AILF advocates for institutional funding, seat-of-arbitration incentives, enforcement treaty adherence, and the development of world-class arbitral institutions in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
There is currently no national framework for the quality accreditation of law firms in India. AILF is building that framework and advocating for its formal recognition by the Bar Council of India, the Ministry of Law & Justice, and corporate clients as a meaningful quality signal.
Enabling law firms to access institutional capital, form multi-disciplinary practices, and adopt limited liability structures — as the UK, Singapore, and Australia have done — is essential for the professionalisation and scale-up of Indian legal practice. AILF advocates for a calibrated, evidence-based reform process.
| Publication | Status |
|---|---|
| The State of India's Legal Services Market — 2025 Report | Available to Members |
| Three-Scenario Economic Model: India's Legal Market to 2035 | Available to Members |
| International Reform Models: UK, Singapore, Australia | Available to Members |
| GST on Legal Services — Impact Assessment and Reform Proposals | Forthcoming |
| India as an Arbitration Destination — Benchmarking Report | Forthcoming |
| Law Firm Talent and Compensation Survey 2026 | In Progress |