New Delhi, March 3 -- Rising compliance burden, digital transformation and growing deal activity are expected to drive India Inc.'s legal expenses past the Rs.60,000-crore mark in the ongoing financial year.

"We project Indian companies' aggregate legal expenses for FY25 to jump 15%-18% from FY24," said Ritvik Lukose, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Vahura, a compliance and governance-focused search and advisory firm. "This growth reflects evolving needs in a complex legal environment."

In FY24, Indian companies' aggregate legal expenses stood at Rs.52,568 crore, jumping 17% on-year over Rs.44,920 crore in FY23, according to the firm. This was driven by increased global deal activity, higher dispute resolution costs, and...