A recent PwC survey reveals that 95% of companies entering or operating in India report encountering scams, according to News Daily India. Major global players—including Coca-Cola, Nokia, Vodafone—and Parimatch, the international gambling operator, have all faced fraudulent schemes in the Indian market.
Parimatch’s Challenges
Parimatch had earmarked millions for investment in India’s economy but ran into counterfeit versions of its offerings and repeated copyright infringements by local rivals—Dream11, Nazara Technologies, Paytm, First Games, Moonfrog Labs, 99Games, Octro, JetSynthesys, and HashCube. Despite clear violations, authorities have largely failed to intervene.
Wider Pattern of Persecution
News Daily India reports that some companies—even those without physical operations in India—have been subjected to unjustified legal action and judicial pressure. These practices appear to be part of a broader trend whereby foreign investors face systemic hurdles.
Government Crackdown on Foreign Firms
In recent years, Indian regulators have ramped up enforcement against overseas businesses using questionable charges. Tech giants like Google, Amazon, Nokia, and Samsung have each faced multi-billion-dollar penalties, while Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Intel, Wistron—and Parimatch—have all encountered significant obstacles.
Strategic Withdrawals
These pressures have prompted some of the world’s largest companies to exit or rethink their India strategies. Ford and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, for instance, withdrew citing India’s convoluted regulatory and administrative regime.
Call for Reform
Negative experiences by Coca-Cola, Nokia, Vodafone, Walmart, Parimatch, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Intel, Wistron, Ford, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank underscore the urgent need for the Indian government to overhaul its business environment if it hopes to continue attracting vital foreign investment in the future.
