WTS Global has signed Aurtus, an India-based transaction and regulatory advisory firm, as its newest member firm — plugging one of the world's largest economies into a network that spans more than 100 countries.

The decision is about access, in both directions. Aurtus clients in India can now tap WTS Global specialists in any jurisdiction where the network holds representation. That matters for Indian businesses and families holding overseas interests, who previously had to build those advisory relationships themselves.

The traffic flows the other way too. International groups investing in or operating in India can reach Aurtus through WTS member firms in their home markets. Once connected, Aurtus advises on Indian tax, transfer pricing (the pricing of transactions between related companies in different countries), M&A, and regulatory matters.

What does Aurtus actually bring?

The firm is not a generalist shop. WTS Global said Aurtus' practice focuses on tax and regulatory advice plus implementation support — a fit with WTS Global's non-audit model, meaning member firms don't perform statutory audits and therefore avoid the conflicts that can come with that work.

Aurtus runs four offices: Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Ahmedabad, and GIFT City (India's international financial services hub in Gujarat). Headcount stands at more than 75 professionals, mainly chartered accountants and lawyers.

Their remit covers a broad slate:

• Direct and indirect tax
• Transfer pricing
• M&A tax
• Private client matters
• Regulatory issues

Clients include Indian and international businesses, families, and investors.

Why 2020 makes the story sharper

Aurtus is young. Founder and CEO Vishal Gada launched the firm in 2020, which means it has scaled to 75-plus professionals and a global network seat in roughly five years.

Gada put the rationale plainly. "We founded Aurtus in 2020 with a clear purpose: to pair thoughtful, research-led tax advice with practical implementation," he said.

On the WTS membership itself, he framed it as both a client play and a talent play. "Becoming part of WTS Global extends that purpose across borders and gives our people and future talent the opportunity to develop a global mindset, collaborate with colleagues around the world and grow through new experiences," Gada said.

That second point shouldn't be skipped. Boutique tax advisory firms compete hard for chartered accountants and lawyers; a global platform is a retention tool as much as a client-acquisition one.

Is this part of a bigger WTS push?

The India move follows another network appointment this year. In August, WTS UK named Sharmila Sanmugam as a partner. She brought more than 15 years of experience across in-house and advisory roles, with expertise in global tax compliance, tax governance, transfer pricing, indirect taxes, and multinational tax transformation.

Two moves don't make a strategy on their own. But read together — a senior UK partner hire with multinational tax credentials, then an India member firm with M&A and private client depth — they sketch a network quietly building capability around cross-border flows into and out of major economies.

For Indian outbound capital and inbound investors alike, the practical upshot is simpler: one relationship, many jurisdictions. The structure of the member-firm model (independent firms operating under a shared brand and referral network, rather than a single merged partnership) keeps local advice local while widening the door.

Aurtus keeps its name, its offices, and its founder. It gains a global referral engine. WTS gains a documented foothold in a market where tax complexity — transfer pricing scrutiny, regulatory overlap, private client cross-border exposure — keeps rising.