Tax

July’s GST collections were driven significantly by imports, but the headline number warrants a closer look. The real insight lies in understanding whether growth stemmed from finished goods or productive inputs, and how much was influenced by a weaker rupee inflating import values rather than a genuine rise in volumes and demand.

GST has matured considerably through greater digitisation and transparency, creating a more unified and efficient indirect tax framework. As businesses increasingly adopt digital and AI-enabled solutions, an integrated GST ecosystem with greater automation, streamlined processes and reduced manual intervention will be critical to enhancing taxpayer experience and unlocking the full potential of GST.

• PF continues to be a strong retirement savings vehicle, offering tax advantages, attractive interest rates, and long-term financial security.
• Greater flexibility in contributions does not change the need for disciplined retirement planning.
• Ongoing EPFO digitisation is making claims and withdrawals simpler and faster.
• Employees should understand how compensation structures are evolving and engage with HR teams to make informed decisions aligned to their financial goals.

The new framework offers more flexibility, retirement planning remains a personal choice that requires careful consideration.

The proposed move to a broader definition of wages under the Labour Codes could increase PF contributions for both employers and employees. While this may strengthen long-term savings and tax efficiency, it could also influence monthly take-home pay and prompt a rethink of compensation structures.

Anshul Aggarwal

Partner,  Indirect Tax
KPMG in India    

GST has matured considerably through greater digitisation and transparency, creating a more unified and efficient indirect tax framework. As GST 2.0 evolves, focus areas such as dispute resolution, refund of accumulated credit in inverted duty structure and stronger industry-government consultation will be critical in proactively addressing emerging issues. An integrated GST ecosystem with greater automation, and reduced manual intervention will be key to enhancing taxpayer experience and unlocking the full potential of GST.

In a significant development, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 2026 (‘EPF’), Employees' Pension Scheme, 2026 (‘EPS’), and Employees' Deposit-Linked Insurance Scheme, 2026 (‘EDLI’) on 29 June 2026, replacing the existing EPF Scheme, 1952, EPS, 1995, Employee Family Pension Scheme 1971 and EDLI Scheme, 1976.

What's new in these schemes?

•  They have been framed under the Code on Social Security, 2020 (COSS)
• Aligned with the broader framework of social security / labour law reforms to provide a cohesive and modernised approac

Employers, payroll teams, compliance professionals, and HR leaders should closely review the detailed provisions to identify procedural, compliance, and operational aspects that may impact/ benefit their organisations.

The inverted duty structure remains one of the biggest unresolved issues under GST. The government should work towards bringing petroleum products, electricity and real estate within the GST framework to enable seamless credit flow and reduce tax cascading. The GST Council should consider allowing businesses with multiple state registrations to be covered under a single audit and assessment process to reduce the compliance burden.

Form 26AS remains a critical check for validating tax credits before filing returns. However, Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) now offer a more comprehensive view of income and transactions.

Taxpayers should reconcile 26AS with AIS, TIS, and their records to minimise discrepancies, reduce risk, and ensure smooth return processing.

As global tax scrutiny tightens nd regulators look beyond structure to intent, substance/tax sovereignyy is now the mandate.

The Tiger Global Supreme Court ruling sharpens the focus on real commercial substance, with structures set to face deeper scrutiny. Anti abuse provisions are becoming decisive in shaping cross border investments and determining access to treaty benefit.