Pirated software?

I plan to start a s/w testing center in chennai. i got the required s/w (QTP, SilkTest) from my friends in USA. As I did not purchase the s/w, will i have any problem in running the business

Whatever you, if you use pirated software is still considered illegal and against the law

unfortunately it is illegal and you can get very easily caught. Because companies dont mind if you use there software, using a pirated version for home-use, as much as they do if you are running any form of profiteering business, in which case you are. I would strongly recommend you to purchase the program as you are running a profiteering business. If any legal agency walks in to your door, they will ask you for a registration number and verify if it is counterfeit or real. As for home purposes it doesnt matter so much, but is you make money from a priated software that is 100% illegal and you are definitely going to be caught, rather through a person coming to your door, or through the internet they will track you down.

SilkTest is definitely pirated software. QTP probably is. If you are a small business, American corporations may not notice. However, there are two distinct disadvantages to using pirated software. One is that obviously, American Corporations, like Microsoft, have some influence in India. The other is that American Intellectual Property law is a shambles, governed by case law precedent which our supreme court has suggested they may want to overturn. Far from suggesting this might make it safer, it means that thanks to all our treaties and all, the use of pirated software introduces Uncertainty into any business plan. I would try to get licenses ASAP and in addition I would try to investigate Open Source equivalents (which I know exist for every OS) and use and advertise your use of them as well.

Yes, unfortunately you will have problems. The majority of the major companies don't waste their time on small pirates, but if you're a business or company, that's a whole different story. Basically, as long as there's money to be made for them (lawsuit), I would expect it so watch your back.

Same thing why microsoft doesn't sue individual users who use pirated windows. They did go after businesses who were selling the student versions of windows. (student windows were real too, but the company didn't check who they sold it to). Just remember that when it comes to businesses, ms takes it more seriously.