Marking the fifth anniversary of the National Single Window System (NSWS), India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade released a backgrounder late on 22 September detailing recent upgrades—including a Production Investment Business Registration module that lets Indian companies generate electronic Sponsorship Letters for foreign technicians and executives applying for the e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4). Under the e-B-4 category, launched in November 2025, overseas professionals can obtain a 12-month multiple-entry visa to install equipment, train local staff or oversee green-field projects without visiting an Indian mission. The new module pre-populates corporate data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and issues a digitally signed sponsorship PDF in under 24 hours, replacing a paper process that often took three weeks. Why this matters: multinational manufacturers racing to meet production-linked incentive deadlines have struggled with lead-time uncertainty for expatriate specialists. The NSWS upgrade gives HR teams a predictable workflow and an online audit trail that satisfies internal compliance. According to DPIIT data, NSWS now processes 3.06 lakh applications per year and hosts 327 central approvals, making it a de facto backbone for corporate immigration. Best-practice tip: Indian host entities should register on NSWS using their PAN as Business ID and upload a board resolution authorising a digital-signature holder. Foreign assignees must carry the sponsorship letter print-out and the QR-coded e-B-4 approval when boarding, as airlines are required to verify documents under Timatic notes issued last month.
Source: Press Information Bureau
