GIFT City IFSC Advisory

A unit in an IFSC Special Economic Zone is eligible for a 100% profit deduction for any 10 consecutive years out of the first 15 years of commencement under Section 80LA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (for AY 2026-27 and earlier). From TY 2026-27 onward, the equivalent provision migrates to ITA 2025. In addition, dividend income received by the unit from an offshore entity and interest paid to non-residents are exempt under Sections 10(15)(viii) and 10(23BBH) respectively, subject to the conditions in those sections.

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), constituted under Section 4 of the IFSCA Act, 2019, is the unified regulator for all financial products and services in GIFT IFSC — including banking units (IFSCA Banking Regulations 2020), Alternative Investment Funds (IFSCA (Fund Management) Regulations 2022), and broker-dealers. The SEZ Act, 2005 and SEZ Rules, 2006 continue to govern the physical zone infrastructure and customs/duty treatment.

Transactions between an IFSC unit and a person resident outside India are treated as current or capital account transactions under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and the FEMA (International Financial Services Centre) Regulations, 2015 notified under Section 47 of FEMA. Resident Indians investing into IFSC AIFs must use the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) under RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular — the current annual limit is USD 2,50,000 per individual per financial year.

An IFSC unit located in a Special Economic Zone is a "Special Economic Zone developer or unit" for purposes of the IGST Act, 2017. Services supplied to or by an SEZ unit are treated as zero-rated supplies under Section 16(1)(b) of the IGST Act, 2017, allowing the supplier to claim a refund of input tax credit under Section 54 of the CGST Act, 2017 or to supply under a Letter of Undertaking (LUT) without paying integrated tax. Routine back-office or administrative services procured from the domestic tariff area are taxable at the applicable CGST/SGST rate.

A transfer of shares of a foreign company between two related parties where one is an IFSC unit is not automatically exempt. Capital gains under Section 45 of the ITA 1961 (Section 67 under ITA 2025) will apply unless the transfer qualifies for a specific exemption or treaty benefit. IFSCA has permitted IFSC holding companies ("IFSC HC") under the IFSCA (Setting up and Operation of International Financial Services Centre) Guidelines, 2019, but the tax treatment of the upstream transfer must be assessed separately under the applicable DTAA read with Sections 90 or 91 of ITA 1961 (Sections 159/160 of ITA 2025).