The laws and regulations for cross-border debt collection vary when the creditor and debtor are residing in two different countries, as there is no single international debt collection law. Each country has its own set of rules on how debt collection must be conducted within the sphere of their borders. Still, certain conditions are common in each country, and these requirements are to be followed irrespective of the creditor's and debtor's place of residence. An international debt collection agency makes the recovery of cross-border and non-contested claims, and it involves the collection of overdue invoices from businesses existing in other nations.

It is important for a business to understand that there is no international debt recovery law, and the regulations for debt collection are to be regulated based on national laws; hence, it becomes very important for businesses having international existence to take assistance from international debt collection agencies.

Understanding the Dynamics of Debt Collection-

Globalization has resulted in an increase in cross-border transactions, which becomes an issue the moment the debtor refuses to pay; therefore, parties involved in international transactions and foreign trade must have strong contract management and review support and robust insolvency and dispute assistance.

In general, debt collection is a three-step process where the creditor, through an international debt collection agency, initiates a commercial arbitration involving a third person to make the debtor realize the consequences of non-repayment of the debt. The next step is trying for out-of-court debt collection by coming to a consensus for a settlement between both parties, and the third step is taking aid of court proceedings after the exhaustion of the amicable approach.

Features and Operations of International Debt Collection Agency

• Need of Authorization-
  Every country has its national legislation about the collection of debts. 1^st step for any third-party collection agency is to obtain permits and licenses for their operation within the territory.
• Rules of Prohibition
  Each country has certain rules and regulations specifically formulated to safeguard a debtor so that the international debt collection agency knows the boundaries of its functions. In most countries, there are specifications as to the time of contacting the debtor to collect debt.
• Judicial Procedures
  Every nation in the world has established judicial procedures, i.e. the procedure for legal claims for acquiring the debts back and contesting the claims is part of the national regulation of each nation and be it any international debt recovery agency or any other recovery agent, they need to follow the procedure established by law.

Regulatory Framework for Debt Recovery in India

1. Recovery Of Debts Due To Bank And Financial Institutions Act (RDBFI Act),1993
   This Act laid down the foundation of Debt recovery tribunals (DRT) and Debt recovery appellate tribunals (DRAT) for the purposes of recovering debts due to banks and other financial institutions.
2. Securitization & reconstruction of financial assests&enforcement of security interest (SARFAESI) Act,2002
   This legislation laid down rules for the creation of a central database of assets on which security interests have been created. The SARFAESI secures creditors to take control over the collateral properties assisted by the relevant authorities in the district where the collateral is located.
3. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC)
   This code attempted to consolidate the numerous laws relating to the recovery of debts as well as the legally defined path for the declaration of insolvency by a debtor in the instance of the debtor being unable to pay the sums owed. Cases included within this are heard by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), which are appealed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
4. Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery Of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act,2016 (ESIRDA Act)
   This law expanded the domain and jurisdiction of DRT, which was done to avoid rearranging the tribunals' hierarchy. It puts restrictions on the defendants upon receiving a notice from transferring related assets. This Act also exempted instruments for asset reconstruction from the payment of stamp duty apart from provisioning for electronic filing of Documents.

Regulatory Methods for Debt Recovery In India-

The foremost approach of international debt recovery agencies is to use amicable ways for debt recovery. Still, not all debtors are the ones who could be tackled without opting for legal proceedings.

In India, there are variable laws within which the provisions related to the non-payment of debt could be interpreted.

1. Indian Penal Code
   The creditor, who is an aggrieved party, can initiate a criminal proceeding against the debtor using section 406 (criminal breach of trust), section 417(cheating), and section 420(punishment for cheating and false inducement for delivery of property. Section 436(punishment for mischief) These sections could be interpreted only when the creditor can prove that the non-payment of debt is because the debtor is trying to commit the offence of cheating and mischief.
2. Code Of Civil Procedure,1908summary Suit Under Order XXXVII
   Order 37 of the CPC allows a creditor to file a summary suit. A summary suit, once instituted, assumes the plaintiff’s allegations to be true and decides the case in their favour, in the absence of the defendant or a substantial case of the defendant in court within 10 days of the institution of the suit. A summary suit may not be instituted in cases where legal penalties may be imposed on the basis of the cause of action of the debt or the debt amount is uncertain.
3. Civil Suit Under Order IV Of The CPC
   These cases may be instituted as per the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, before the appropriate court of jurisdiction.
4. Institution Of Proceedings Under The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (NI Act)
   This method is used in instances concerning the recovery of money arising from instruments of payment such as cheques and bills. Section 138 of the NI Act provides the basis for initiating proceedings in instances of bounced cheques with clear timelines and limitations for each step.
5. Arbitration And Conciliation Act, 1996
   Arbitration is one of the most common methods for recovering unpaid debts in commercial arrangements. Suppose there is an arbitration clause in the contract signed by the creditor and debtor before entering into business. In that case, the dispute needs to be sorted with arbitration only, and no other method of dispute resolution could not be availed before availing arbitration.

The institution of DRT and DRAT under the RDBI Act was to reduce the pending litigation cases of debt recovery; they were introduced to help the already overburdened NCLT & NCLAT, but still, the situations haven't been under control because, in most of the cases, the creditors directly initiate court proceeding, even foreign creditors take the aid of legal practitioners in India and file a case in the court of law. The parties ignore the fact that there could be more than one solution for the collection of debt, like taking the help of an international debt collection agency that has established formal procedures and methods only made up for the recovery of debts.

International Debt Collection Agency, India: Service Offerings

Our international debt-collecting agents will charge basic fees but will ensure you a 100% return on the investment you made by trusting us. We have experienced agents on whom you can rely for your debt collection. Our agents will speed up the process and will make your debtors pay back their debt in no time. Enterslice will be your strategic partner in B2B accounts recovery management & debt collection, from making collections for you to providing you with professional support through global time zones, currencies, jurisdictions, and languages.

Enterslice will support you in –

1. Large Claim Collections-

Enterslice only deals in large claims, and we have been providing superior debt collection services and specialize in complex disputes. We adopt strategies to collect the money as fast as possible, and we formulate strategies with the help of which the debtors are less defensive and pay attention to us. We have expert executives to review receipts, make investigations, and obtain a foolproof objective, all while keeping our clients in the loop.

2. Amicable Debt Collections-

The motto of Enterslice is to promote and retain positive working relationships. We feel retrieving payments does not always need to make a relationship sour between parties, and differences could be sorted with the help of effective negotiation. Hence, our team initiates the process of debt collection using effective communication and payment plans and ideas with the help of which the debtor can pay the money back.

3.  In-House Law Firm

If our collection agency fails to achieve the desired debt recollection, then the accounts will be placed in front of our in-house law firm, and a second initiation creating pressure upon the debtor by the in-house law firm will be done. This feature of our international debt collection agency has helped many businesses get their debts back without contacting a legal firm or initiating a legal suit. These services are of no additional cost to our clients. The contingency rate is the same and will be collected under the agency's name. We have expert attorneys who will take care of the litigation matter, procuring high results.

4. Insolvency Services-

If the business you are providing your services to fails to pay back the money for your goods and services before it goes bankrupt, then Enterslice is here to minimize your losses. Our team of experienced professionals will guide and support you through the international claims process, and our team believes in swift action when a company is going into liquidation. We will place your claims quickly to increase the chances of settlement. We will make claims on your behalf and will remove the barriers associated with international insolvencies, such as differing legislation, language, and local procedures.

5. Legal Assistance

Our team of debt collecting agents at Enterslice will help you take action against the debtor wherever they are located in the world, we are connected with a global network of lawyers who help us in reaching our expected outcomes. There are unique difficulties, especially in international debt collection attempts, which need expert support and professional advice with local expertise, such as language assistance, jurisdiction support, and other legal debt collection activities. Our legal assistance will help you meet your expected outcome with the help of lawyers and other experts and will maintain court action and other enforcement measures.

6. Invoice scrutinization and check

Enterslice International debt collection agency has designed an invoice scrutinization and check support so that the invoices of the businesses can be scrutinized to observe the capability of the debtor's business entity to pay. You can use this service of ours even before offering credit to the borrower so that we can inform about the client's credit management process by portfolio assessment. Through their expert invoice checking, our team will prevent fraud from occurring through invoices, enhance the risk mitigation process, minimize operational losses, and ensure security in the international financial trade.

7.  Debt collection litigation

At Enterslice, we have formulated an entire litigating process to enhance the success rate of debt recovery within which we initiate debt collection negotiation time and again, making the debtor realize the legal consequences; in the event of non-determination by the debtor, then we proceed for trial with full preparation of counterclaim procedure so that there arises no such condition which could eliminate and mitigate the debtor's obligation to pay.

At times, there is no guarantee to receive the debt back even though the court might have ordered in favour of the creditor, and the remedies suggested by the court don't operate automatically. Enterslice has experts who know how to make the judgment of the court a reality, one who facilitates the collection of the judgment on your behalf.

How Do International Debt Collection Agencies Operate

In general, each debt collection agency follows three paths for debt recovery, which are as follows-

1. Conflict–Free Debt Collection

An international debt collection agency tries to persuade the debtor to pay back the debts without resorting to legal actions. Within this, the authorized agent keeps the demand for collection amicably, i.e. using phone calls and soft persuasion. The legal outcomes of the non-payment are informed to the debtor, and the reactions of the debtor are kept in the notice, which at times makes it clear to the debt collector about the intent of the debtor.

2. Legal Discourse

Once the amicable way doesn't work, the international debt collection agency takes legal recourse. Generally, the legal claim is instituted under the authorities existing in the country of the debtor. Still, it is important for a business to consult an agency that has an expert legal team who know the jurisdiction oriented dynamics.

3. Application of Enforcement Mechanism

Once the amicable as well as legal recourse fails, then it becomes necessary for a business to take the help of the enforcement authorities who can help them gain their assets back. Still, this recourse becomes difficult because the enforcement dynamics keep on shifting from nation to nation, this is where the need for an international debt collection agency arise. These agencies have global expertise in the collection and management of debts.

Benefits of Opting For International Debt Collection Agency for Recovering Debts

1. Time saving-

The entire process of collection of debts is lengthy and tiresome. It involves such tactics, which sometimes are not possible for the creditor to practice. However, international debt collection pertains to expertise in the area of debt collection. They know how to approach the debtor and methods to convince him. They have an entire team of legal experts who, using judicial enforcement, make the process of debt recovery fast and efficient.

2. Cost-effective-

Generally, international debt collection agencies charge their fees once the debt is recovered. With this, there is no unnecessary burden upon the creditor to have a rigid financial commitment to the debt recovered.

3.  Experience & Expertise

An international debt collection agency has a wide range of experience in the collection of debts for creditors from different countries. This experience makes the process of procuring the debt collection hassle-free for the creditors.

4. Local Legal Coverage-

An international debt collection agency has connections with the local experts of the legal domain residing in the country of the creditor as well as the debtor, making compliance easy. In general, it is not easy for the creditor to operate legal compliances upon the debtor residing in a foreign nation, but with the help of an international debt collection agency, it becomes easy.

5. Professional approach for debt recovery

At times, the debtor becomes hostile and, in return, creates sensitive situations of massive risk for a creditor business, such as defamation or threat of lawsuits, mental harassment, etc., which is why, at times, the creditors let go of meagre debts. Here, if a company takes consultation from a professional debt recovery agency, it will, using a professional approach, try to maintain amicable relationships to avoid any arising conflicts; this effect is only possible with the interference of a third neutral party.

6. Increased and improved cash flow

Suppose any business gets help from an international debt collection agency. In that case, the outstanding debts start getting recovered, and the more the collection of bad debt, the more the books of account of the creditor's business, which will improve the financial stability of the creditor business.

Challenges Faced By Businesses in Recovering Debts

1.  Faulty Written Agreements

Agreements need to be drafted by an expert with knowledge of all the areas in which the parties are entering into the contract. Crisp and transparent agreement results in lesser confusion and efficient claims in case of non–return of debt. Every creditor must take the help of third-party legal services to formulate and review their legal Documents.

2.  Jurisdiction Issues

It becomes very difficult for a creditor to execute any legal proceeding against the debtor when the debtor resides outside India and the place of jurisdiction stated in the terms of the contract is in the debtor country, in cases of breach it becomes very difficult for the aggrieved to go seek help of an entire unknown country for obtaining remedy against the breach committed with him.

3.  Bankruptcy of the Borrower

At times, the lure of collaborating with an international agency makes the creditor ignorant, resulting in him not going through the balance sheets and financial statements before entering into a contract with the borrower business; this ignorance results in the creditors suffering in a scenario of cash crunch and insolvency of the creditor.

4. Dual Relationship Issue

It is suggested not to establish a corporate business relationship with the organization a creditor business is an investor in because then, in case of cash crunch and insolvency, recovery of the debt becomes difficult for the creditor due to the kind of relationship which is formed between him and the debtors business.

5.  Delays in The Legal System

Suppose the creditor singlehandedly decides to take care of all the legal intricacies. In that case, there is a high probability that it might face complications and frustrations arising out of delay in proceedings due to overburdening of courts.

6. Expensive Arbitration

In today's date, all the contracts generally have an ADR clause for faster litigation, which rules out the possibility of filing a suit in case of breach of contract. Arbitration,, a costly affair, makes it difficult for the creditor to bear the higher costs.