Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

This document protects confidential information disclosed by individuals or businesses to each other during the evaluation of business opportunities, and negotiations, before investing or entering into transactions with each other. It creates an enforceable agreement between the parties that they will not disclose or use any confidential information for any purpose other than that set out in the agreement.

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), also known as Confidentiality Agreements, help parties feel comfortable revealing confidential information with commercial value that they might otherwise keep secret so that commercial negotiations can continue openly and honestly.

Some examples of situations where an NDA/Confidentiality Agreement might be needed include:

(a) where a company is engaging a new employee or contractor who will have access to secret information, trade secrets or other valuable commercial information of the company;

(b) where two parties are investigating the possibility of an investment or business sale agreement with each other, and wish to discuss commercially sensitive information;

(c) where a new start-up or investor has an idea and wishes to discuss it with another party to test the possibility of investment or partnership.

A Confidentiality Agreement ensures that the party receiving the confidential information isn't permitted to disclose that information to anyone else or profit from the use of that information in an unauthorised way.

Like other contracts, confidentiality agreements require consideration which broadly means that a party must receive something in exchange for not disclosing information, this may be the payment for the provision of services or even the grant of an opportunity to evaluate a proposed investment.

This Non-Disclosure Agreement is often used in conjunction with a Non-Compete Agreement. A Non-Compete Agreement is a legal contract that restricts a current or former employee from engaging in competition with their employer for a specific period after their employment ends.

How to use this document?

It can be used either where only one party is disclosing information (a 'one-way' disclosure) or where two parties are sharing information with each other (a 'two-way' disclosure) and can be modified to insert special terms that ensure that employees and clients cannot be approached or poached following any disclosure.

Once all the information has been filled in, the Non-disclosure agreement would need to be printed on non-judicial stamp paper or e-stamp paper where such e-stamp paper is available in certain states. The value of the stamp paper would depend on the state in which it is executed. Each state in India has provisions in respect of the amount of stamp duty payable on such agreements. Information regarding the stamp duty payable can be found on the State government websites.

Once the document is printed on the stamp paper, both parties shall sign it and keep a copy of the same.

Where the parties are companies, only the persons authorised by board resolutions should sign the agreement on behalf of the company.

Applicable laws

The broad principles of the contract under the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and restraint of trade apply to non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements.

How to modify the template?

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.