Asia: Tax

While opportunistic acquisitions once dominated cross-border activity, investors are increasingly focused on long-term operational investment through UK subsidiaries, joint ventures...

India's corporate landscape is dominated by family-controlled businesses, which constitute approximately 80% of all enterprises and contribute about 79% to the national GDP.

The removal of the pre-CGT tax exemption from 1 July 2027 is driving increased interest in Members Voluntary Liquidations (MVL) as a tax-efficient exit strategy. This article examines how liquidator distributions...

Many multinational groups now run a good part of their research and development from a global capability centre (GCC) in India. The engineering work gets done, the product gets built, and then a simple question comes up that nobody had planned for: who actually owns the intellectual property (IP)? In my experience advising on such structures, this question is usually asked late, often during a funding round, an audit or a dispute. By then, fixing the paper trail is expensive.

The Australian tax landscape is undergoing significant transformation in 2026, with three major developments reshaping obligations for international investors and multinational entities.

Aurtus provides comprehensive tax and advisory services spanning direct tax, indirect tax, and international tax matters. Their expertise includes transaction structuring, M&A assistance, IPO advisory, GST compliance, transfer pricing, and specialized services for family offices and GIFT IFSC setups. The firm offers end-to-end solutions for corporate tax planning, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance across domestic and cross-border transactions.

The Commissioner of Taxation has intervened in a High Court appeal examining whether Bitcoin constitutes "property" at common law, a determination that could fundamentally reshape how cryptocurrency transactions are treated under Australia's capital gains tax regime. The case of Poulton v Conrad raises critical questions about the legal classification of digital assets and their tax implications for Australian investors and businesses.

The High Court's dismissal of SKG Cleaning Services' appeal has significant implications for businesses using contractor-based service models. The decision confirms that payroll tax liability extends beyond traditional labour hire arrangements, focusing instead on whether services are supplied as part of a client's ordinary business operations. This ruling affects cleaning, security, facilities management, and other service industries that rely on subcontractor arrangements.

The Australian tax landscape is undergoing significant transformation in 2026, with three major developments reshaping obligations for international investors and multinational entities.

The 57th GST Council meeting was held on 08.10.2026, with a focus on simplifying GST compliance, reducing litigation and facilitating ease of doing business.

The Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) was implemented in India to simplify the indirect taxation system and prevent tax evasion. However, non-compliance with GST laws, especially fraudulent activities, can lead to severe penalties, including criminal liability for directors and promoters of a company. The Central Goods and Services Tax CGST Act, 2017 (“CGST Act”), provides provisions that hold directors and promoters responsible for tax fraud, defaults, and evasion.

The GST Council, at its 57th meeting held on 8 October 2026, recommended a package of measures intended to facilitate the export of services from India. For enterprises that deliver services through overseas branches, the most consequential recommendation is the proposed removal of the restriction under which a supply between an Indian establishment and its own foreign branch could not qualify as an “export of services”. The Council has also recommended system-based processing of refunds and a wider eligibility for refund of accumulated input tax credit (“ITC”), both of which bear directly on working capital.