CBDT to reflect foreign financial information in AIS, Form 26AS under AEOI
Jul 9, 2026
The tax department will upload foreign financial information received under international information-sharing agreements into taxpayers' AIS and Form 26AS to improve transparency and compliance
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has authorised the Directorate General of Income Tax (Systems), Delhi, to upload information received under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework under agreements referred to in Section 159 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, into taxpayers' Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS.
According to an order issued on July 8, 2026, the DGIT (Systems) has been authorised to upload information received under the AEOI framework under the relevant Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) into the Annual Information Statement in Form 168 within 90 days from the end of the month in which the information is received.
The order also authorises the DGIT (Systems) to upload such information into Form 26AS under the Income-tax Rules, 1962. This includes information for the periods January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, within 90 days from the date of issuance of the order. Information for the period January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, will be uploaded within 90 days from the end of the month in which it is received.
The CBDT has also authorised the DGIT (Systems) to specify the procedures, formats and standards for uploading information into both the AIS in Form 168 and Form 26AS.
The move is expected to make foreign financial information received through international information-sharing arrangements directly available to taxpayers, allowing them to reconcile overseas income and assets with their tax filings.
Amit Maheshwari, Managing Partner, AKM Global, a tax and consulting firm, said: "The CBDT's decision to upload information received under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework into the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS is a significant step towards enhancing tax transparency and voluntary compliance. By making foreign financial information readily accessible to taxpayers, the initiative not only enables individuals to reconcile and accurately report their overseas income and assets but also strengthens the Income Tax Department's data-driven compliance framework."
According to Maheshwari, taxpayers with foreign bank accounts, investments or other reportable financial assets should proactively review their AIS and Form 26AS and ensure that the corresponding disclosures are appropriately made in their income-tax returns to mitigate the risk of future scrutiny.
Sumeet Hemkar, Partner, Deloitte India, said: "The CBDT's order is a significant step towards strengthening India's tax information ecosystem by integrating foreign financial information received under the AEOI framework into the Annual Information Statement. The move will enhance transparency and enable more effective compliance and monitoring by taxpayers.
"Taxpayers should also review their Annual Information Statement disclosures and ensure that foreign income and asset reporting is consistent with their tax filings. The availability of historical AEOI data may also require taxpayers to assess potential reporting gaps and undertake appropriate corrective measures, including filing updated returns where applicable."
[The Business Standard]
