International Bar Association (IBA)

Why we picked it This draws the exact line our answer cares about: an agent who explains the process or front-ends paperwork is legal, an agent who peddles influence is illegal, and it is easy to cross that border without noticing. It is the honest India-specific guide to when a liaison is worth it versus when they are a rent-seeking trap that also creates legal exposure for you, since you are on the hook for what your agent does in your name.

Corruption Risks in the Use of Agents in Public Procurement in India

From International Bar Association (IBA) by International Bar Association 12 min read

• Structure agent fees as reasonable fixed amounts paid to an Indian bank account, never success-based commissions or offshore payments, both of which are red flags in any probe
• Many tenders and integrity pacts require you to disclose any agent and their fee, and conditional-payment-on-success arrangements are often outright prohibited
• You can be liable if your agent acts corruptly on your behalf even if you never paid a bribe yourself, so contractually restrict what the agent may do and keep documentation