What the heck is a “Registered Company”?

In India, as soon as you tell someone you have started up a company, the first reaction you are likely to get (at least in Delhi) is “So have you got your company registered yet?” and more often than not, the answer is a no especially if you are a student entrepreneur. Back in 2008, and indeed for a large part of 2009 also, I was faced with the same question over and over again. So let me try and explain to the people what it means to “have your company registered?” and whether or not it is necessary to do so in the first place. Plain and simple answer is :A registered...