2026 LegislationA contract is only as strong as the words it is built on. In India, the Indian Contract Act 1872 decides when an agreement becomes legally enforceable, and the gap between a binding contract and a friendly understanding often comes down to a handful of clauses. Whether you are engaging a freelancer, protecting confidential information or recording a deal, a clean written agreement is the proof you will rely on if things go wrong. These templates help you put the essentials in writing, the right way.
Choose your legal document:
When to use these templates
When you engage a service provider. A service agreement fixes the scope of work, the fees and payment milestones, timelines, ownership of intellectual property and how either side can exit. It prevents the all-too-common dispute over what was actually promised.
When you share confidential information. Before you reveal trade secrets, pricing, code or a business plan, a non-disclosure agreement defines what is confidential, how it may be used and for how long. A one-way NDA protects one discloser; a mutual NDA protects both sides.
When you record a sale or purchase. A sale and purchase agreement sets out the goods or assets, the price, delivery, warranties and what happens on default. It turns a verbal deal into an enforceable obligation.
When you frame intentions before the final deal. A memorandum of understanding captures the commercial intent and the road map while the definitive contract is being negotiated, making clear which parts are binding and which are not.
What you will find in this category
- Service agreements: scope, fees, milestones, IP assignment, confidentiality and termination clauses.
- Non-disclosure agreements: one-way and mutual versions, with defined confidential information and survival periods.
- Sale and purchase agreements: for goods, assets or services, with price, delivery, warranties and default terms.
- Memoranda of understanding: to record intent, exclusivity and the next steps before a binding contract.
- General agreement templates: with standard boilerplate on governing law, jurisdiction, dispute resolution and notices.
Legal framework and key points to watch
The foundation is the Indian Contract Act 1872. Section 10 makes an agreement a contract only when it is made by the free consent of parties competent to contract, for a lawful consideration and with a lawful object. Section 11 sets capacity: a minor cannot contract, and an agreement with a minor is void. Consideration must be real, though it need not be adequate.
Stamping matters. Under the Indian Stamp Act 1899 (and the State stamp laws), many agreements attract stamp duty, and the rate varies from State to State. An unstamped or insufficiently stamped instrument can be inadmissible in evidence until the duty and penalty are paid, so stamp the agreement on the value and in the State where it is executed.
Electronic execution is valid. Contracts formed online and signed electronically are recognised under the Information Technology Act 2000, except for the categories in its Schedule I (such as a will or a negotiable instrument), which still require wet ink. Watch restraint-of-trade clauses too: under Section 27 of the Contract Act a clause that restrains a person from carrying on a lawful trade is void, which is why broad post-contract non-compete clauses rarely survive in India.
Why our templates
- Drafted around the Indian Contract Act 1872, with the clauses Indian courts expect to see.
- Updated as practice evolves, including on electronic signatures and dispute-resolution clauses.
- Reviewed by legal professionals, with a focus on enforceability rather than filler.
- Ready to use as PDF and Word, so you can sign immediately or adapt each clause.
- Practical structure: guided fields for parties, scope, consideration and term.