Anil Ambani has been struggling with his businesses after a shadow lending crisis in India in 2018 dried up funds for local banks and financiers. Reuters
Anil Ambani has been struggling with his businesses after a shadow lending crisis in India in 2018 dried up funds for local banks and financiers. Reuters
Anil Ambani has been struggling with his businesses after a shadow lending crisis in India in 2018 dried up funds for local banks and financiers. Reuters
Anil Ambani has been struggling with his businesses after a shadow lending crisis in India in 2018 dried up funds for local banks and financiers. Reuters

India's Anil Ambani quits his companies’ boards after regulator order


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Anil Ambani, a former billionaire from India, resigned from the boards of Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure after an order from the country’s market regulator for alleged diversion of funds.

Mr Ambani resigned as the non-executive director in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) interim order, both the companies said in an exchange filing on Friday.

“The board looks forward to an early closure of the matter,” the companies said in two separate statements to the exchanges, adding that they look forward to inviting “Mr Ambani back to provide his vision and leadership to the company in the interest of all stakeholders”.

Sebi in February had issued a retraining order against Mr Ambani and other senior executives of a group entity, Reliance Home Finance, for allegedly diverting funds to other, related companies to repay debt.

Mr Ambani has been struggling with his businesses after a shadow lending crisis in India in 2018 dried up funds for local banks and financiers, forcing government to step in and rescue at least half a dozen lenders.

Among them, was Mr Ambani’s Reliance Capital, that was seized by the Reserve Bank of India last year after a series of repayment defaults.

Banks across India and China are trying to recover money from Mr Ambani.

State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, filed a personal bankruptcy case against Mr Ambani after battling him in court.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Updated: March 26, 2022, 8:31 AM