Welcome to Multibagg AI
Log in to access personalized features
Portfolio
Alerts
Ask Iris
Discovery
Timeline
Multibagg AI is an AI powered stock research and analysis platform. We provide data, information, content, and analytics for publicly traded Indian companies listed on NSE and BSE. AI can make mistakes, check important information.
Prices might be delayed by a few minutes.
Join our Exclusive Community
Join our Exclusive Community
Made with 💙 in India. © Finsky Technologies Pvt Ltd. 2026
In a significant move to simplify tax compliance, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget 2026, announced a major change in the rules for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on the sale of immovable property by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). The proposal eliminates the mandatory requirement for resident buyers to obtain a Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) for such transactions. Instead, buyers can now deduct and deposit the TDS using their own Permanent Account Number (PAN).
This reform addresses a long-standing procedural irritant that often caused significant delays and administrative burdens for individuals purchasing property from NRIs. The change is expected to make transactions smoother, faster, and more efficient for both parties involved.
Previously, the process for deducting TDS on property purchased from an NRI was markedly different and more complex than for a transaction with a resident seller. Under Section 195 of the Income Tax Act, when a resident bought property from an NRI, they were required to:
This complex procedure often discouraged potential buyers or led to errors and delays, creating a high compliance burden. As noted by tax experts, obtaining a TAN for a single transaction resulted in a large number of inactive TANs, adding to the administrative load for both taxpayers and the tax department.
The new proposal, effective from April 1, 2026, aligns the process for NRI property sales with that of resident sellers under Section 194-IA. By allowing the use of a PAN-based challan, the government has streamlined the entire operation. This means the buyer no longer needs to go through the hassle of TAN registration and subsequent e-TDS filings.
See what broke. See what stood.
Live Q1 Earnings TrackerRaheel Patel, Partner at Gandhi Law Associates, highlighted the practical benefit, stating, "By allowing TDS on NRI property sales to be deposited using the buyer’s PAN instead of forcing a one-time TAN registration, the Finance Minister has removed a purely procedural irritant that caused delays and technical defaults without adding any real compliance value."
To better understand the impact, here is a comparison of the TDS compliance process before and after the Budget 2026 announcement.
This simplification is a positive step for the real estate sector. It improves transaction efficiency by removing a key procedural bottleneck. For NRI sellers, this means that deals are less likely to be stalled due to compliance complexities faced by the buyer. This can reduce holding costs and ease cash-flow pressures.
Alay Razvi, Managing Partner at Accord Juris, commented, "From a market perspective, this improves transaction efficiency, reduces holding costs, and eases cash-flow pressures for non-resident sellers. More importantly, it reflects a shift toward practical tax administration."
While this change does not alter the substantive TDS rates applicable to NRIs, it significantly lowers the barrier to entry for resident individuals looking to purchase property from them. The move is seen as a rationalisation of the compliance framework that maintains tax oversight while reducing unnecessary friction.
This TDS rule change is consistent with the government's broader agenda of simplifying tax laws and improving the ease of doing business. The Union Budget 2026 also introduced other measures aimed at easing compliance for NRIs and international transactions, including:
The decision to allow PAN-based TDS deposits for NRI property sales is a welcome and practical reform. It directly addresses a long-standing pain point for taxpayers and streamlines a cumbersome process. By bringing parity between transactions involving resident and non-resident sellers, the government has enhanced the ease of compliance, which is likely to have a positive, albeit indirect, impact on real estate transactions involving NRIs. The focus remains on simplifying procedures without diluting the integrity of the tax collection framework.
