CBDT organises outreach webinar on “Decoding the new Income-tax Act, 2025: International Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects”

1. At a Glance

• A CBDT–PwC India outreach webinar held on 9 June 2026 to explain the international taxation and transfer pricing (TP) provisions of the new Income-tax Act, 2025 and Income-tax Rules, 2026. [S1]
• Attended by 1,100+ participants from 16 overseas jurisdictions (USA, UK, Australia, China, Singapore, Cyprus, Japan, Mauritius, Qatar, UAE, etc.), signalling India's stakeholder outreach on cross-border tax certainty. [S1]
• Relevance for UPSC: links GS-II (government interventions, international institutions) and GS-III (Indian economy, mobilisation of resources, tax reforms).

2. Why in the News

• CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) and PwC India jointly organised a webinar titled "Decoding the new Income-tax Act, 2025 – International Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects" on 9 June 2026; PIB release dated 12 June 2026. [S1]
• Comes weeks after the Income-tax Act, 2025 entered into force on 1 April 2026, replacing the Income-tax Act, 1961. [S2][S3]

3. Background & Evolution

• Income-tax Act, 1961: previous six-decade-old direct-tax statute. [S3]
• 12 August 2025: Income-tax Bill passed by Parliament. [S3]
• 21 August 2025: Presidential assent → Act No. 30 of 2025. [S3][S4]
• 20 March 2026: Income-tax Rules, 2026 notified by CBDT to operationalise the new Act. [S3]
• 1 April 2026: Act comes into force. [S2][S3]
• PRARAMBH 2026: nationwide awareness campaign launched by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to disseminate the new Act. [S5]
• 9 June 2026: International-tax/TP outreach webinar (this PIB item). [S1]

4. Core Static Facts

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Finance → Department of Revenue → Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). [S1]
• Statute: Income-tax Act, 2025 (Act 30 of 2025), as amended by Finance Act, 2026. [S4]
• Structure: 536 sections, 23 chapters, 16 schedules. [S3]
• Subordinate legislation: Income-tax Rules, 2026 (notified 20 March 2026). [S3]
• Webinar partner: PwC India. [S1]
• Reach: 1,100+ participants across 16 overseas jurisdictions — USA, UK, Australia, China, Singapore, Cyprus, Japan, Mauritius, Qatar, UAE, etc. [S1]
• Department representatives: Ms. Monica Bhatia (Pr. CCIT–International Taxation); Shri Raman Chopra (CCIT–International Taxation); Dr. Anjula Jain (Commissioner). [S1]
• Thematic focus: international taxation, transfer pricing, Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs), Safe Harbour Rules (SHR). [S6]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Simplification of direct-tax law aims to reduce litigation, improve voluntary compliance, and lower compliance costs for MNEs. [S3] - Expansion of Safe Harbour scope and streamlined TP assessments seek to give price certainty to foreign investors. [S6]

Legal / Constitutional - Enacted under Entry 82, List I (Union List) — taxes on income other than agricultural income. - Replaces a 64-year-old statute without altering underlying tax policy; redrafts in plain language and re-numbers provisions. [S3]

Geopolitical / Strategic - Outreach to 16 jurisdictions including key DTAA partners (Mauritius, Singapore, Cyprus, UAE) — investment-routing hubs into India. [S1] - Aligns with OECD BEPS / Inclusive Framework discipline on transfer pricing and dispute resolution.

Administrative - Concurrent rollout of Act + Rules + outreach (PRARAMBH 2026, webinars) showcases stakeholder-centric implementation. [S3][S5] - CBDT's International Taxation wing (PCCIT-IT) is the nodal implementer for cross-border tax. [S1]

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 12 Aug 2025: Parliament passes Income-tax Bill, 2025. [S3]
• 21 Aug 2025: Presidential assent. [S3]
• 20 Mar 2026: Income-tax Rules, 2026 notified. [S3]
• 1 Apr 2026: Income-tax Act, 2025 comes into force; PRARAMBH 2026 awareness campaign launched. [S2][S5]
• 9 Jun 2026: CBDT-PwC webinar on International Tax & TP aspects. [S1]

7. Prelims Hooks

• Income-tax Act, 2025 = Act No. 30 of 2025. [S4]
• Replaces the Income-tax Act, 1961. [S3]
• Contains 536 sections, 23 chapters, 16 schedules. [S3]
• Came into force on 1 April 2026. [S2]
• Income-tax Rules, 2026 notified on 20 March 2026. [S3]
• Notifying authority for the Rules: CBDT (not Ministry of Law). [S3]
• Nationwide awareness campaign: PRARAMBH 2026, launched by FM Nirmala Sitharaman. [S5]
• Outreach webinar (9 Jun 2026) co-hosted with PwC India. [S1]
• Participants drawn from 16 foreign jurisdictions; 1,100+ attendees. [S1]
• Listed jurisdictions include Cyprus, Mauritius, Qatar, UAE, Singapore. [S1]
• APAs and Safe Harbour Rules flagged as key TP certainty tools. [S6]
• CBDT functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. [S1]

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Indian Economy — Mobilization of Resources; Government Budgeting; tax reforms.
• GS-II: Government policies and interventions; India and bilateral/multilateral arrangements (DTAA, BEPS).
• Possible question stems: 1. "Discuss how the Income-tax Act, 2025 seeks to simplify India's direct-tax architecture and reduce cross-border tax disputes." 2. "Examine the role of Advance Pricing Agreements and Safe Harbour Rules in providing certainty to foreign investors in India." 3. "In light of the new Income-tax Act, 2025, evaluate India's alignment with global anti-BEPS norms."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• DTAA & MLI (Multilateral Instrument) — frames India's tax treaty network.
• OECD/G20 BEPS Project & Pillar One/Two — global minimum tax context.
• Advance Pricing Agreements (APA) — TP certainty mechanism.
• Safe Harbour Rules — pre-defined margins for low-risk transactions.
• Equalisation Levy / Significant Economic Presence — digital taxation.
• GAAR (General Anti-Avoidance Rules) — anti-avoidance backbone.
• Finance Act, 2026 — annual amendments overlay on the new Act. [S4]
• CBDT–CBIC structure — direct vs indirect tax administration.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Year confusion: Act enacted 2025, but enforced from 1 April 2026 — both dates examinable. [S2][S3]
• Don't confuse the new Income-tax Rules, 2026 with the old Income-tax Rules, 1962 (still referenced in transitional TP notifications). [S3]
• CBDT, not CBIC, is the parent body — CBIC handles indirect taxes.
• PRARAMBH 2026 is the awareness campaign; the 9 June 2026 event was a separate webinar with PwC India. [S1][S5]
• Act numbering: 30 of 2025, not "1 of 2025" or "2026". [S4]

11. Sources

• [S1] CBDT organises outreach webinar on "Decoding the new Income-tax Act, 2025: International Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2271989 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Income-tax Act, 2025 comes into force from today (1st April, 2026) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2248005 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] The Income Tax Act, 2025 — Reshaping Tax Framework (PIB backgrounder) — https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/sep/doc202593626601.pdf — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Income-tax Act, 2025 [30 of 2025] as amended by Finance Act, 2026 — https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/income_tax_act_2025_as_amended_by_fa_act_2026-pdf — (tier: 1)
• [S5] FM launches PRARAMBH 2026 nationwide awareness campaign on Income Tax Act, 2025 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243196 — (tier: 1)
• [S6] Understanding The Income Tax Act, 2025 (PIB Press Note) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?ModuleId=3&NoteId=155137 — (tier: 1)