‘My 3 startups failed in India, US one didn’t’: Here’s why NRI founder says all three shut down

An NRI entrepreneur who returned to India after spending a decade in the US says three business ventures he launched after coming back failed, leaving him deeply disillusioned with the country’s business environment. Aniruddha Anjana, a Florida-based founder, said his ventures in building materials, engineering consultancy and food and beverage shut down after problems ranging from unpaid customer dues and stalled government work to alleged corruption and blackmail.

Anjana shared his experience on Instagram, saying he had returned with 10 years of corporate experience and a successful million-dollar startup in the US. He initially believed that his professional background and previous entrepreneurial success would make it relatively straightforward to build a business in India.

“After returning from the US after 10 years in a corporate job and building a million-dollar startup, I thought business in India would be easy. I was wrong 3 times,” he wrote.


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Building material business leaves him frustrated over unpaid dues

Anjana said his first venture was a building material shop, which he considered a natural choice because construction was his professional background.

He allowed customers to purchase materials such as cement and rebar on credit, following what he described as a common business practice. However, he said collecting payments became a persistent problem.

“What I didn’t expect was chasing my own money — calling the same person 10 times a year later just to get paid,” he wrote.

Anjana said he eventually became frustrated with repeatedly pursuing customers for money he was owed and decided to shut the business.

Drone survey project leaves him questioning the system

His second venture was an engineering consultancy that targeted both private and government projects.

According to Anjana, the company secured a government tender for a drone survey linked to city planning. He said the team invested months of work and resources into the project, only for it to eventually stall.

The IAS officer who was expected to award the tender allegedly stopped responding, Anjana claimed.

“Months of hard work, our team, our resources — all in. Then the project quietly died. The IAS officer who was supposed to award us the tender just went silent. No explanation. No closure. Just gone,” he wrote.

He said the experience damaged his confidence in the system.

Restaurant venture closes within six months

Anjana’s third venture was FlyDining Indore, a food and beverage business that he initially expected to be easier to operate.

Instead, he alleged that corruption and what he described as open blackmail by local players forced the business to close within six months.

“FlyDining Indore (F&B) — I lost my trust in the process. This one was supposed to be the smooth one. Instead, corruption and open blackmail from local players shut us down in 6 months,” he wrote.

He said the experience became the final one of the three failures that changed his view of starting businesses in India.

‘I was wrong 3 times’

Looking back at the three ventures, Anjana said each failure changed what he thought about doing business in India.

“India is not built for people who want to do business with honesty and respect. To win here, you often have to be clever before you’re ethical,” he wrote.

He went on to make a broader criticism of the country’s economic and business ecosystem, claiming that the system often rewards behaviour he considers undesirable.

“That’s part of why India is a poor country where rich people lives — the system rewards the wrong things,” he wrote.

These views are his personal assessment based on his own business experiences.

US venture remains profitable

Despite shutting down all three Indian ventures, Anjana said he remains financially secure because the business he operates in the US continues to generate profits.

“The reason I am still smiling is my US venture is still running and profitable, because it’s the only reason I could afford to fail three times in India and walk away standing,” he wrote.

He added that he currently has no plans to launch another business in India.

Anjana also issued a warning to people considering a return to India after building careers or businesses overseas.

“If you’re thinking about starting something in India after moving back from abroad — pause. Rethink. Talk to someone who’s already paid the tuition,” he concluded.

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His experience sparks mixed reactions

Anjana’s account prompted a range of responses, with some users offering encouragement while others connected his experience to challenges in their own countries or careers.

One commenter wrote, “I feel sorry bro, but India needs you, stay motivated.”

Another thanked him for sharing his experience, saying, “Thanks for sharing this Ani. It takes so much courage to be you. Your journey keeps inspiring everyone here.”

A user from Guyana said the situation reminded them of conditions in their own country and asked whether such problems could eventually change.

Another commenter described moving away from government-exam preparation after developing concerns about the system and instead focusing on AI automation skills and international clients.

The responses reflect how Anjana’s experience has resonated with people debating entrepreneurship, bureaucracy, business risks and the challenges of returning to India after living abroad.