Tax & Compliance Updates — India & UAE
Curated summaries of the latest Income Tax, GST, VAT and Corporate Tax developments — plus direct links to the official government portals so you can always verify the source yourself.
Verify Directly with Official Government Portals
For your peace of mind, every update below is based on public information from these official sources. We always recommend cross-checking directly before making decisions.
Income Tax Department, India
Official portal for e-filing, notifications, circulars & the Income-tax Act.
GST Portal, India
Official GST registration, returns, e-way bill & council notifications.
Federal Tax Authority, UAE
Official VAT, Corporate Tax & Excise Tax portal for the UAE.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), India
Official ROC filings, company & LLP compliance, notifications and circulars.
Latest Updates
A running list of recent amendments and deadlines relevant to our India and UAE clients.
New Income-tax Act, 2025 now in force
The Income-tax Act, 2025 has replaced the six-decade-old 1961 Act from 1 April 2026, simplifying the law from 819 sections to 536 sections. Applicable from FY 2026-27 onward.
ITR filing due dates for FY 2025-26
ITR-1 and ITR-2 are due by 31 July 2026. ITR-3 and ITR-4 filers not requiring a tax audit have until 31 August 2026.
Tax-free income up to ₹12 lakh
The new tax regime’s basic exemption limit has been raised so income up to ₹12 lakh is tax-free, along with the 50% HRA exemption now extended to four more cities.
E-Way Bill / e-Invoice API changes
GSTN has updated e-Invoice and e-Way Bill APIs — “Ship-to GSTIN” becomes mandatory wherever Ship-to information is present, effective 1 August 2026.
GSTR-3B auto-populates tax liability breakup
The GST portal now auto-populates the “Tax Liability Breakup, As Applicable” for any interest or tax from a previous period being discharged in the current GSTR-3B.
ITC-side locking on the way
The GST Council’s next step is restricting Input Tax Credit strictly to what’s reflected in GSTR-2B — businesses should keep vendor reconciliation tight.
AOC-4 — Annual Financial Statements filing
Must be filed within 30 days of the AGM. Late filing attracts ₹100/day additional fee with no cap. MCA Annual e-Filing ↗
MGT-7 / MGT-7A — Annual Return filing
Due within 60 days of the AGM. MGT-7A applies to small companies and OPCs. MCA Annual e-Filing ↗
DIR-3 KYC — Director/Partner KYC
Moving to a triennial cycle (once every 3rd FY), but active DIN holders as of 31 March 2026 must file by 30 Sept 2026 — missing it deactivates the DIN and blocks filings. MCA Portal ↗
LLP Annual Filings — Form 11 & Form 8
Form 11 (Annual Return) and Form 8 (Statement of Account & Solvency) are mandatory for every LLP, even with nil activity. MCA Portal ↗
New RoC territorial jurisdictions notified
MCA reorganised Registrar of Companies offices with new zone-wise jurisdictions across Delhi, UP, Maharashtra, West Bengal and more. MCA Notifications ↗
Companies (Incorporation) Amendment Rules, 2026
Proposed changes aim to streamline incorporation and reduce compliance burden under the Ease of Doing Business framework. MCA Notifications ↗
Corporate Tax return & payment deadline
For businesses with a calendar year-end (31 December 2025), the Corporate Tax return and payment are due by 30 September 2026. Rate remains 9% above AED 375,000 taxable income.
VAT credit refund — 5-year rule
VAT credit balances older than 5 years expire. If your credit expired just before or within a year after 1 Jan 2026, the FTA is giving a fresh one-year window to claim it back.
New penalty framework for VAT & Excise
The UAE Cabinet’s reformed penalty regime aligns VAT and Excise Tax penalties with Corporate Tax penalties for more consistent enforcement.
Reverse charge — no more self-invoices
Businesses using the reverse charge mechanism no longer need to issue separate self-invoices — regular supporting documentation is now sufficient evidence.
E-invoicing mandate begins rollout
A voluntary e-invoicing pilot starts July 2026, becoming mandatory for businesses with revenue above AED 50 million from January 2027, with smaller businesses phased in after.
FTA increasing audits & enforcement
The FTA’s focus has shifted from onboarding to active auditing, with particular attention on businesses that filed an initial Corporate Tax return and then went quiet.
VAT Public Clarification No. 40 — Executive Regulation amendments
The FTA’s largest VAT Executive Regulation overhaul since 2018 clarifies composite supplies, profit margin scheme costs, export zero-rating evidence, and input VAT recovery on employee medical insurance. Read VATP040 on tax.gov.ae ↗
Global Tax Advisory has a team of experienced tax specialists who can help you assess your current tax position, advise on the appropriate tax treatment, prepare clarification requests, or represent you before the tax authorities as your registered advisors.
We are happy to discuss your specific circumstances and determine the way forward should you have any questions or concerns — please get in touch with your usual Global Tax Advisory contact, or reach out to our team below.
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