In a strategic development that shifts the compass of professional diplomacy, the institute of company secretaries of India (ICSI) has recently formalised a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the services export promotion council (SEPC) in June 2025. This is not just another signature ceremony, it is a definitive assertion of India’s readiness to export what many nations are struggling to build: trust through structured governance.
The MoU, a manifesto for exporting ethics. Finalised this June, the MoU crystallises a strategic alliance between ICSI’s governance muscle and SEPC’s international trade architecture. As the government of India steadily advances toward its $1 trillion services export goal by 2030 (ministry of commerce), this collaboration does more than merely support that vision, it furnishes the institutional architecture to deliver it.
By embedding company secretaries into the heart of India’s export framework, the agreement reframes compliance, transparency, and corporate ethics as services with global economic value. Governance is no longer an internal housekeeping function, it is a reliable export category.
Traditionally, company secretaries have operated within India’s regulatory walls. With this MoU, they step into a wider arena. SEPC’s global ecosystem now offers a stage where Indian CS professionals can assist with:
- Regulatory onboarding for Indian firms going global
- Entry compliance for foreign firms into India’s regulatory landscape
- Cross-border ESG reporting and BRSR integrations
- Contract governance and legal structuring in multi-jurisdictional projects
This isn’t outsourcing 2.0, this is leadership 3.0. It positions Indian company secretaries as creators, not just enablers, of global compliance infrastructure.
The timing is notable: ICSI’s liaison offices, announced this June in UAE, Singapore, and the UK, are already in motion. These offices will serve as nodes for on-ground interface and global business matchmaking through SEPC’s soon-to-be-launched digital B2B portal, where international clients can engage Indian CS professionals with verified credentials.
Global trends validate India’s move. According to the 2024 KPMG global services report, the demand for governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) services is projected to grow at 9.8% CAGR till 2030. Drivers include:
- ESG enforcement rising across OECD and BRICS+
- Growth in cross-border commercial activity post-Covid
- A digital economy demanding regulatory interoperability
Further, the ministry of commerce’s 2025 whitepaper identifies legal compliance, arbitration support, and ethical audits as new-age service exports capable of driving India’s “trust surplus” globally. The MoU is no longer a plan, it is now in execution mode.
The use case universe: Where Indian CSs can lead:
Imagine the following real-world scenarios now unfolding:
- A Japanese MNC investing in an Indian JV seeks a bilingual governance audit. An Indian CS leads due diligence and regulatory filings.
- A US-headquartered AI firm expanding into Africa hires an Indian CS for ESG-aligned governance planning and legal infrastructure.
- A Singapore-based family office needs India-centric insights on SEBI, FEMA, and IBC to diversify investments. An ICSI-certified expert delivers.
These aren’t future hypotheticals, they are near-term possibilities, as India positions its professionals not as service vendors but strategic governance partners.
This MoU fits squarely into the government’s Viksit Bharat @2047 roadmap, which identifies professional services as “foundational enablers” of next-gen infrastructure and economic diplomacy. It also complements the PM Gati Shakti initiative, as seamless governance support enhances investor confidence across multimodal growth corridors.
Notably, this move also implements the goals laid out in the champion services sector initiative, addressing long-standing underutilization of India’s governance capabilities in international trade frameworks.
MoU as a national governance export prototype; the ICSI–SEPC model could soon serve as a blueprint for other Indian professional bodies to internationalise:
- ICAI for global accounting and assurance
- ICMAI for international pricing and cost structuring services
- Bar council of India (BCI) for legal mediation and cross-border arbitration
India could emerge not only as the world’s factory and office but as its boardroom conscience.
Importantly, this global canvas opens up new pathways for women CS professionals, many of whom face domestic career ceilings but can thrive on digital international projects, bringing inclusion, equity, and dignity to the core of export strategy.
To avoid becoming symbolic, this MoU needs performance metrics:
- Count of Indian CSs in global assignments (by sector/geography)
- Revenue from international governance services
- Number of SEPC-CS B2B portal engagements
- Role of CSs in foreign IPOs, ESG filings, and M&A support
- Integration of CSs in government trade delegations or FTA consultations
When measured, governance becomes a tangible economic lever- not an abstract virtue.
Why the World needs Indian governance today? What makes Indian company secretaries uniquely exportable? The answer is:
- Authority under ICSI Act, 1980
- Expertise in Companies Act, SEBI, FEMA, IBC, ESG frameworks
- Alignment with Commonwealth contract law traditions
- Bilingual fluency in legal drafting and global business language
- Global parity in CPD, ethical oversight, and cost advantage
The result: Indian CSs are not just functionally competent; they are ethically export-ready.
Global comparisons: Seizing the trust economy. Countries like Singapore, Ireland, and the Netherlands have tried similar governance outsourcing models. However, limited workforce volume and high service costs restrict scalability. India, with over 80,000 qualified CSs and a robust institutional pipeline, stands to become the engine room for trust infrastructure globally.
Governance in the digital era: Trust Infrastructure 4.0. In 2025’s hyperconnected economy, where AI contracts are signed in milliseconds and ESG tokens ride blockchain rails, governance is no longer an afterthought. It’s the invisible operating system of global commerce. From smart contracts to cyber-compliance to AI ethics auditing, Indian CSs can now be the architects of “Trust Infrastructure 4.0.” This MoU doesn’t just prepare India for that future, it ensures it builds it.
In an age when products can be copied and prices can be undercut, credibility cannot. The ICSI–SEPC MoU is India’s declaration of intent, that governance is not a back-office ritual, but a frontline export strategy. It channels India’s ethical surplus into international influence. Because the next global wave may not be about creating more platforms but about governing them better. And that’s where India’s company secretaries come in.
Final thought:
What if the most powerful export India offers this decade…
…is not software, but standards?
What if the world’s next unicorns aren’t just products,
…but principles in action?
The MoU has been signed. The platform has launched. The future of India’s governance export economy has already begun.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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