One of our clients needed a Non-STPI registration as a software exporter. We completed the online form and made the initial payment for registration. After the documents were reviewed, we received an email requesting additional paperwork. We promptly provided the necessary clarifications and supporting documents.
Then things got interesting. After the second round of document’s were scrutinised, we were asked to attend an in-person meeting. However, the company’s Director was traveling and couldn’t be present at the scheduled time. After some back and forth, we were granted permission for an online meeting. We were required to prepare a presentation about the company. We were also asked to submit the presentation and details of the attendees in advance.
Initially, I expected a barrage of tough questions during the interview, possibly complicating the registration process with unnecessary hurdles. But as the meeting began, I was pleasantly surprised.
Four officials from the STPI department, including the Director of STPI, were present. They listened patiently as the company’s Director explained the organization’s structure, its product, and future growth plans. After the 10-minute presentation, the STPI Director asked a few software-specific questions. He also inquired regarding the company’s end clients and shareholders.
What stood out the most was how the STPI Director concluded the meeting. Instead of bureaucratic red tape, he offered words of encouragement. He expressed hope that the company would expand, create more jobs, and provide services to more people and countries. This positive approach was a refreshing contrast to some other government departments that often make business operations unnecessarily tedious.
This experience reminded us that while regulatory processes can sometimes be daunting, there are also individuals within the system who genuinely support business growth in India.
