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In October 2025, a major fraud case involving approximately US$875 million was uncovered within a firm in India. The incident involved allegations of forged documents and unauthorized loans taken using falsified signatures, violating the terms of a prior exit agreement between former partners. This illustrates the risks associated with entering business partnerships without thorough due diligence. Before formalising any agreement, it is essential to evaluate a potential partner’s financial stability, business practices, and legal standing.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed 353 penalties amounting to USD 6.23 million in the last fiscal year, for non-compliance with statutory provisions. This sharp increase highlights the growing need for organizations to manage compliance more effectively. The Three Lines of Defence (3LoD) model offers a structured approach by clearly defining roles across operational management, compliance, and internal audit. When tailored to an organization’s specific risk environment and supported by regular training, the model helps build stronger governance, reduce risk, and stay prepared for regulatory challenges.

Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) present unique risks for businesses due to their potential involvement in financial misconduct. Effective PEP screening is essential to safeguard compliance and protect business integrity.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported 23,953 fraud cases amounting to over USD 4 billion in FY 2024-25, a sharp increase from USD 1.39 billion the previous year, despite a decline in the number of cases. Digital transaction frauds, primarily involving card and internet-based payments, were the most frequently reported. These often involve unauthorized access to customer data by third parties, but they can also be committed by the customers themselves.

In the first ten months of FY25, digital financial frauds in India surged to USD 482.5 million across 2.4 million incidents, as reported by the Ministry of Finance. This marks a 67% increase from FY23, reflecting the growing scale of financial crime.

In today’s digitally intertwined world, data rarely stays confined within national borders, and neither do the laws that govern it. Cross-border data transfers are now a routine part of global business, but they come with legal and operational risks. In India, the average cost of a data breach has surged to US$2.52 million, highlighting the financial impact of non-compliance.

India’s maritime sector plays a crucial role in the national economy and strategic planning, supported by a 2,500-kilometre coastline and a network of 12 major and over 200 minor ports. With around 95% of trade by volume and 70% by value moving through maritime transport, the sector plays a significant role in building the nation’s GDP. This growth brings increased complexity and demands stronger oversight. Maritime compliance and risk management goes beyond ships and ports, they extend across the entire supply chain, including factories, refineries, trucking companies, and key personnel.

In today’s business environment, reputation risk is a growing concern for organizations. A recent survey claims most professionals anticipate a rise in financial crime, while only 36% consider their company’s compliance program as highly effective – a clear gap between rising threats and organizations’ ability to manage them. To protect reputation, financial stability, and regulatory compliance, Integrity Due Diligence helps businesses identify and mitigate risks.

Risks in the supply chain is not only from the product itself, but many also arise from people, locations, and hidden connections. A recent report revealed that ~9% of reported issues stem from poor due diligence on people and third-party partners behind them. While companies are often diligent about verifying the quality of products and services, they frequently overlook the stakeholders behind them.

In a recent incident, a startup reported over $200 million in revenue for 2024, a 3x exaggeration over its actual earnings. This involved billing another entity for services that never occurred, creating an illusion of growth and of valuation. Such practices reflect a deeper issue: the growing misuse of financial data in pursuit of market advantage, which undermines transparency and raises serious concerns about corporate ethics.