The SC in Bar Council of India v. A.K. Balaji and Ors.[1] was called upon to decide the question of whether foreign law firms / foreign lawyers are permitted to practice in India and held that foreign law firms/companies and foreign lawyers cannot practice Indian law in India either in relation to litigation or non litigation matters. However, there is no bar on foreign law firms or foreign lawyers visiting India for temporary periods, on a ‘fly in and fly out’ basis for the purpose of giving legal advice to their clients in India regarding foreign law or their own system of law and on diverse international legal issues. The expression ‘fly in and fly out’ will only cover a casual visit, not amounting to ‘practice’. Whether a foreign lawyer is limiting itself to ‘fly in and fly out’ would be determined by the Bar Council of India. However, the Bar Council of India or the Union of India will be at liberty to make appropriate rules in this regard, including extending the Code of Ethics to such cases.With regard to the conduct of arbitration proceedings by foreign lawyers in India, the SC held that there is no absolute right of a foreign lawyer to conduct arbitration proceedings in respect of disputes arising out of a contract relating to the international commercial arbitration. In some cases, foreign lawyers may not be debarred from conducting arbitration proceedings arising out of international commercial arbitration in view of Sections 32 and 33 of the Advocates Act, 1961 (‘Advocates Act’). However, they will be governed by code of conduct applicable to the legal profession in India.Business process outsourcing companies do not come within the purview of the Advocates Act or the Bar Council of India Rules. However, if in pith and substance the services amount to practice of law, then the provisions of the Advocates Act will apply and foreign lawyers/law firms will not be allowed to do so.[1]     2018 SCC Online SC 214.