India tax guide

Topic hubs for GST, TDS, corporate tax, withholding and refunds help SEO and internal training · but this page frames them as an operating system tied to ERP, cash and HQ policy.

General operating orientation only. Rates, deductions, withholding, refunds and transfer pricing outcomes depend on transaction design, industry, contracts and treaty (DTAA) positions · validate with specialists and current law.

India tax operations rarely stop at periodic returns: GST, TDS, corporate tax, FEMA, trade, payroll and HQ reporting interlock in one stack.

E-invoices, ledgers, banks and returns must reconcile · initial tax architecture and a monthly reconciliation spine drive risk and speed as much as due dates.

Core checklist · calendars, TP and reconciliations

Filing calendars & cash planning

Run GST, TDS, advance tax and payroll-related filings on one treasury-aware calendar.
Tie monthly cash forecasts to payment dates · not just return due dates.
Stress-test late fees, interest and mismatch notices before period end.
[Field] GST cash shortfalls and missed advance-tax instalments
[Field] TDS short payments and interest on delayed filings

HQ policy & transfer pricing linkage

Map group intercompany policies to India tax positions early.
Review royalties, services, management fees and import pricing patterns.
Maintain TP documentation and related-party evidence as operating artefacts · not year-end only.
[Field] Intercompany invoice timing and cost allocations
[Field] Benchmarking gaps; joint FEMA + TP reviews where structures cross borders

E-invoicing & reconciliations

Monthly alignment across e-invoices, GSTR-1, GSTR-2B and ERP sub-ledgers.
Track vendor filing health and ITC eligibility before close.
Standardise rules that reduce invoice vs payment vs return mismatches.
[Field] Vendor non-filing; IRN generation errors
[Field] GST mismatches and duplicate invoice postings

Major tax operating lanes

GST operations

GSTR-1/3B, ITC reconciliation, e-invoicing, RCM reviews and export refunds
[Field] GSTR-2B mismatches, blocked credits, vendor follow-up

TDS operations

Vendor vs salary TDS, lower-deduction certificates, Forms 16/16A
[Field] Wrong sections, PAN mismatches, short deductions and interest

Corporate income tax

Advance tax, deferred tax, MAT-style considerations and tax-audit hooks
[Field] Provision mismatches, FX on taxable income, disallowance risk

Foreign-owned groups

DTAA positions, withholding, intercompany charges and royalty/FTS characterisation
[Field] PE risk, Form 10F/TRC packs, equalisation levy touchpoints

Common operating issues

GST misaligned with books or returns
ITC gaps when vendors do not file
Wrong TDS sections or rates
Export refund delays
Underpaid advance tax or weak estimates
Intercompany invoice vs GL mismatches
GST data diverging from customs / ICEGATE exports
Missing DTAA / Form 10F / TRC evidence

Monthly tax operating rhythm

1
Revenue / outward
- GST liability review
- E-invoice discipline
- Export invoices, LUT and refund linkages
2
Purchases / inward
- GSTR-2B reconciliation
- Vendor compliance posture
- ITC eligibility and blocked credits
3
Treasury
- Tax payment plan
- Advance tax estimates
- Refund tracking
4
Filings
- GST returns
- TDS returns
- Linked PF/ESI/PT reviews where applicable
5
Close & HQ packs
- Tax provisions
- Reconciliation working papers
- HQ MIS and tax calendar alignment

Foreign-owned groups · headline tax reviews

Theme	What to pressure-test
Management fees	Withholding, TP, FEMA and HQ allocation rules
Royalties / FTS	Characterisation, DTAA, withholding and EL exposure
Technical services	Place of supply, PE and withholding interplay
Imports	Customs valuation vs TP and GST credits
Share allotments	FMV evidence and FEMA/tax alignment
ECB interest	Withholding, FEMA and deductibility
TP documentation	Benchmarking, local and master files
FEMA reporting	RBI returns vs intercompany cash evidence

How MSV can help

GST and TDS compliance with reconciliations
Corporate tax and advance tax reviews
ITC reconciliation and vendor follow-up
Export refund programmes
TP and intercompany structuring support
Foreign-owned group tax operating support
Notice and scrutiny response support
HQ reporting packs and tax calendar operations

Notices & tax scrutiny

GST notices, TDS mismatch letters, income-tax scrutiny and refund queries
Vendor reconciliation requests and evidence timelines
[Field] Response SLAs, structured evidence bundles
[Field] ERP audit trails and controlled reconciliation workbooks

Linked pages

Often read in the same operating stack.

India tax is an operating domain where GST, accounting, banking, trade and HQ policy interlock · early transaction design and reconciliation discipline materially change downstream risk and operating efficiency.