Founder Leaves India for Dubai, Citing Systemic Failure, Sees Significant Earnings Increase

Entrepreneur Fears Pressure from Systemic Failure in India

A Dubai-based entrepreneur, Soumendra Jena, has spoken out about the challenges of running a business in India, citing pressure linked to systemic failure. According to Jena, who has over 18 years of experience in tech, telecom, and finance, his earnings have increased "100 times" since relocating to Dubai in 2021.

Jena's comments come in response to a news report about a 27-year-old founder leaving Bengaluru for Dubai after being "exhausted" with the system in India. He stated that running a compliant business in India had become difficult, with the consumer pricing act being a major obstacle. "You cannot run an ethical business there; the consumer pricing act is a joke," he wrote.

Jena further claimed that his financial situation had dramatically improved since the move. "Now I earn 100 times more than I did in India while keeping my family safe," he wrote. This is not an isolated incident, as relocation to Gulf hubs such as Dubai has increasingly become a talking point among Indian founders and professionals, particularly those in technology and digital businesses, attracted by lower taxes, regulatory clarity, and global market access.

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The conversation around ease of doing business in India has sparked a lively debate on social media. Many users echoed concerns around the ease of doing business, with some highlighting structural issues in India's business environment. "Too high a risk, too high a barrier in terms of ease of doing business. Too outdated a system with no intention of improving it," one user wrote.

The debate highlights the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in India, with some users suggesting that informal or politically linked funding models dominate. "Add to it the [‘chandha dhandha’] is the only model that wins," a user wrote, referring to alleged fund-raising practices tied to political influence.