{"id":748,"date":"2025-09-02T08:34:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T08:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/?p=748"},"modified":"2025-09-02T08:34:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T08:34:46","slug":"ep-1-z-force-3-2-18-13-3-10-11-12-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/02\/ep-1-z-force-3-2-18-13-3-10-11-12-13\/","title":{"rendered":"From Paper to Practice: What \u2018Ease of Doing Business\u2019 Really Means in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Blog-1-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-751\" srcset=\"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Blog-1-1.png 1280w, https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Blog-1-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Blog-1-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Blog-1-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:31px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>India has made bold moves\u2014from Startup India to DPIIT\u2019s reform push. But what do founders <em>actually<\/em> experience on the ground?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember54\">This article breaks down the gap between intention and implementation, and what it will really take for entrepreneurs\u2014especially from Tier 2 and 3 India\u2014to build with ease, clarity, and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember55\">Featuring insights from: Startup India, DPIIT, NITI Aayog, and on-the-ground realities from India\u2019s growing startup ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember56\">Beyond the Rankings: What \u2018Ease of Doing Business\u2019 Really Means in India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember57\">India\u2019s jump from 142nd to 63rd in the World Bank\u2019s Ease of Doing Business rankings between 2014 and 2019 made headlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember58\">But for thousands of entrepreneurs, the story doesn\u2019t end with a ranking\u2014it begins with the daily reality of building a business in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember59\">This article explores what \u201cease of doing business\u201d actually, feels like on the ground\u2014from startup founders navigating regulations to policymakers driving change and investors looking in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember60\">1. Policy Wins: The Reforms That Made a Difference<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember61\">India has made major moves in the past decade to make doing business easier. Some of the standout efforts include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><em>Startup India initiative: <\/em><\/strong>Over 1.57 lakh startups recognized by DPIIT (as of Dec 2024)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Simplification of compliance: <\/em><\/strong>More than 39,000 compliances reduced, and 3,400+ provisions decriminalized<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Online systems: <\/em><\/strong>A move toward digitizing company registration, tax filings, and license applications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>State-level competition: <\/em><\/strong>With the Business Reform Action Plan, states now compete to improve local business environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember63\">These changes have genuinely made it easier to <em>start<\/em> a business on paper. But is starting the same as scaling or sustaining?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember65\">2. What Founders Still Struggle With<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember66\">For early-stage entrepreneurs, especially those outside major metros, the biggest hurdles are no longer just paperwork. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Access to capital:<\/strong> Despite India raising over $147 billion in startup funding (2016\u20132024), early-stage and Tier 2\/3 startups find it tough to secure funding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fragmented and outdated laws: <\/strong>Different departments ask for different approvals, with overlapping rules<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of clarity:<\/strong> Many first-time founders are unsure which laws apply to them, and there\u2019s no single place to find out<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure gaps: <\/strong>Reliable power, internet, and transport are still issues in many smaller cities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Red tape that persists in practice:<\/strong> Despite digital systems, offline verification and middlemen are still common in some sectors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember69\">3. What the World Wants (and Watches)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember70\">Global investors and multinationals care about India\u2019s EoDB story\u2014but for them, it\u2019s about much more than registration speed. They look for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><em>Policy stability<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Will tax laws, FDI rules or startup incentives change overnight?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Legal protection<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Can contracts be enforced without years in court?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Digital readines<\/em><\/strong><strong>s<\/strong> \u2013 Are online systems actually usable, scalable, and secure?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Logistics and supply chains<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Is the ecosystem ready for high-growth scaling?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><em>Talent availability<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Can they hire the right talent and build teams fast?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember72\">India has done well in global innovation rankings, moving up to <strong>39th in the Global Innovation Index<\/strong> (from 81st in 2015). But consistency, not just ranking spikes, is what the world watches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember74\">4. What Entrepreneurs Really Want<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember75\"><strong>Founders across India\u2014those building in edtech, D2C, agri-tech, fintech\u2014are asking for:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A single dashboard to track all compliances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Predictable timelines for approvals and licenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No harassment or over-inspections during early operations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Faster access to credit, especially unsecured loans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simple rules for exiting a business\u2014not just starting one<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A culture of trust between government and entrepreneur<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember77\">They don\u2019t want exemptions\u2014they want clarity. They\u2019re not afraid of regulation\u2014they want it to be logical and updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember79\">5. Policy vs Practice: Bridging the Gap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember80\">Here\u2019s the truth: India has great intentions on paper, and often strong policies at the centre. But execution at the last mile\u2014local offices, state departments, inspectors\u2014doesn\u2019t always keep up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember81\"><strong>That\u2019s where frustration builds:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Digital filing + in-person verification = extra time<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Online approval + local corruption = hidden costs<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Fast startup registration + no post-incorporation guidance = confusion<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember83\">Bridging this \u201cimplementation gap\u201d is where India\u2019s real EoDB story will be written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ember84\">From Paper to Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember85\">India has done a remarkable job making it easier to start up. That deserves recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember86\"><strong>But the next chapter is about:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Making growth easier<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Making compliance smarter<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Making closure less painful<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Making systems trustworthy and self-service<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember88\">That\u2019s what ease of doing business should mean\u2014not just faster forms, but <em>freedom from fear and friction<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember89\">And when a founder from a small town can register, raise, run, and exit a business with confidence\u2014without a single favour or workaround\u2014that\u2019s when we\u2019ll know we\u2019ve truly arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember90\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember91\">\u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.startupindia.gov.in\/content\/sih\/en\/Prabhaav.html\">Startup India 9-Year Impact Report<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember92\">\u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.makeinindia.com\/eodb\">DPIIT: Ease of Doing Business Reforms<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember93\">\u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niti.gov.in\/innovation-index-reports\">India Innovation Index \u2013 NITI Aayog<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember94\">\u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.doingbusiness.org\/en\/doingbusiness\">World Bank Doing Business Archives<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deccanherald.com\/business\/startups\/startups-received-147-billion-funding-during-2016-2024-dpiit-3350174.html\">Deccan Herald: Startup Funding in India<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Ep 58: The Startup Catalyst Building the Ecosystem | Between Us\u2122 Bharat Startup Series\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/108tA6GZpIE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India has made bold moves\u2014from Startup India to DPIIT\u2019s reform push. But what do founders actually experience on the ground? This article breaks down the gap between intention and implementation, and what it will really take for entrepreneurs\u2014especially from Tier 2 and 3 India\u2014to build with ease, clarity, and confidence. Featuring insights from: Startup India, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[49,53,41,27],"class_list":["post-748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-blogpage","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-make-in-india","tag-startup-india"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=748"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":755,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/748\/revisions\/755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andbetweenus.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}