The tax offering at AZB & Partners runs the gamut of indirect and direct matters on both the contentious and non-contentious front. Counting household tech names and large multinationals among its clients, the team has particular strength in cross-border issues. Leadership of the team is split between managing partner Ajay Bahl and senior partners Deepak Chopra and Suresh Varanasi; Bahl heads the overall taxation offering, while Chopra oversees the tax litigation sub-group and Varanasi takes point on indirect tax instructions. Ankul Goyal ably assists on contentious mandates. Shreya Rao left the team in December 2023.

Economic Laws Practice acts for domestic and multinational corporations spanning a diverse array of sectors, including, metals, pharma, real estate, and technology, on the full range of contentious and non-contentious tax issues. Under the joint leadership of Rohit Jain and Nishant Shah, the group expertly handles both direct and indirect taxation matters, including advising on tax optimization strategies, transfer pricing, GST mandates, and customs disputes. Kumar Visalaksh has significant experience handling indirect and direct tax litigation, while Harsh Shah, described by clients as ‘one of the best in the profession,’ focuses his practice on indirect tax, including GST, customs, and foreign trade policy matters.

Khaitan & Co LLP fields a sizeable taxation team with strength across the full range of transactional, contentious, and advisory matters, both concerning indirect and direct tax. On the direct taxation front, key names include Sanjay Sanghvi and Bijal Ajinkya; Sanghvi handles contentious matters before tax and transfer pricing authorities, in addition to advising on the tax aspects of corporate M&A, while Ajinkya specialises in international tax advisory and cross-border litigation. Key names for indirect tax include Dinesh Agrawal, who focuses on customs valuation, classification, and GST, supply chain tax specialist Arvind Baheti and Ayush Mehrotra, a key contact for tax controversies. Indruj Rai left the team in March 2024.

The full-service taxation practice at Kochhar & Co. handles the full range of transactional, contentious, and advisory work as well as tax investigations and compliance issues. The 'meticulous and practical' Reena Khair and the 'outstanding' Shahid Khan co-head the team; Khair heads up the indirect taxation offering and has extensive experience appearing before the various high courts, tax appellate tribunals, and the Supreme Court, while Khan leads the direct tax offering with a focus on income tax and international taxation matters. Another key name on the indirect front is Shreya Dahiya, who advises on export promotion schemes and foreign trade policy issues.

The international tax practice at Nishith Desai Associates stands out for its inbound and outbound tax structuring, digital tax, transaction tax, and international tax advisory expertise and is regularly instructed by multinational corporations, investment funds, and foreign investors to advise on both contentious and non-contentious issues. The group is co-headed by founder and international tax specialist Nishith Desai and Parul Jain, who clients describe as 'one of the clearest articulators of Indian and international treaty law in the market.' Tax litigation is another core pillar of work for the team; Afaan Arshad is a name to note here. Dhruv Janssen-Sanghavi left the team in May 2024.

Lauded by clients for its ‘strong international focus,’ Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co expertly advises both domestic and foreign multinational corporations on both direct and indirect taxation mandates, with a notable emphasis on the tax aspects of large transactions, as well as cross-border tax litigation. Gouri Puri, Rajat Bose, Sanjiv Malhotra, and Rohit Garg now jointly co-head the team. The ‘exceptional’ Puri handles international tax planning and digital taxation issues. Bose heads up the firm’s indirect tax offering, while Malhotra and Garg, who joined the firm in 2023, are key contacts for regulatory and contentious matters, respectively.

Domestic and multinational heavyweights in the tech, metals, and automotive industries routinely instruct the taxation practice at Vaish Associates, which stands out for its notable strength in tax litigation, particularly related to direct tax. Neeraj Jain has extensive experience handling international taxation and transfer pricing disputes, Rohit Jain has a broad practice that spans income tax issues, restructuring, and disputes, and Kavita Jha specialises in income tax and GST litigation; the trio jointly lead the department. On the compliance front, Abhishek Agarwal is the key individual to note.

Praised by clients for its ‘very strong legal and tax acumen,’ ALMT Legal regularly handles indirect and direct taxation matters for real estate companies, banks, and entities operating in the automotive, tech, and hospitality industries. On the direct tax front, the group is well-placed to advise on tax efficient structures, transfer pricing issues, and loan structuring, while GST issues, the import and export of supplies, and reverse charge mechanism advice constitute core pillars of work on the indirect front. Aliff Fazelbhoy and Statira Ranina co-head the practice; Fazelbhoy is a seasoned taxation expert with a focus on cross-border matters, while Ranina heads the team’s GST sub-practice.

Insurance companies, financial services entities, and higher education institutions regularly seek the counsel of the taxation practice at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. Handling the full range of matters, from due diligence and transaction structuring to regulatory compliance, the team is jointly overseen by S. R. Patnaik and Kunal Savani. Patnaik has a broad practice with an emphasis on transfer pricing, international tax, and corporate taxation matters, while Savani has a key focus on direct taxation matters and inbound and outbound M&A.

Managing partner V. Lakshmikumaran oversees the tax team at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, which attracts client praise for its 'wealth of talent.' With a dedicated customs advisory and litigation offering, the group routinely advises on contentious mandates before the high courts and the Indian Supreme Court. Income tax and GST advice constitute other core pillars of work for the team. Other key members of the group include litigator Charanya Lakshmikumaran as well as Raghavan Ramabadran, a notable individual on the GST and tax compliance front.

Working in close collaboration with the firm’s private client practice, the taxation team at Majmudar & Partners handles cross-border tax structuring and planning, corporate and M&A tax, and investment-related tax advice for both corporate and individual clients. Akil Hirani and Ravishankar Raghavan lead the practice; Raghavan, who also heads the private client department, handles corporate tax advisory and contentious matters, while managing partner Hirani is qualified to practice in India, England & Wales, and California.

Counting leading multinational tech corporates as well as manufacturing companies among its strong list of clients, Trilegal is well-placed to advise on a diverse array of contentious and non-contentious taxation mandates, including the tax aspect of foreign investments, direct tax disputes, and large transactions. Practice head Himanshu Sinha takes point on direct tax issues, while Komal Dani, who was promoted to partner in April 2023, regularly advises on the tax aspects of M&A transactions.

Managing partner Ashutosh Mohan Rastogi leads the tax department at Amicus, which stands out for its demonstrable expertise in transfer pricing issues. Handling advisory, documentation, and tax controversy matters, the group counts fintech companies, hospitality groups, and manufacturing companies among its clients. Rastogi is a seasoned litigator with a notable focus on international tax structuring and transfer pricing planning.

Corporate international tax, transfer pricing, and GST boutique BMR Legal handles both contentious and non-contentious taxation matters, as well as tax controversy management and M&A tax advisory. Core members of the team include managing partner and international tax expert Mukesh Butani, indirect tax specialist Shankey Agrawal, and Seema Kejriwal Jariwala; the trio jointly oversee the department.

The tax department at IndusLaw works closely with the firm’s transactional and dispute resolution teams to advise tech, manufacturing, and gaming sector clients on the full range of matters. The group handles a high volume of Customs Excise Service Tax Appellate Tribunal work, in addition to advising on the tax aspects of large transactions. Shashi Mathews leads the firm’s indirect tax offering, while Lokesh Shah takes point on the direct taxation front.

JSA Law leverages the firm’s corporate capabilities to advise domestic and multinational corporations on transactional tax matters, including international tax issues, corporate restructurings, and the tax aspects of cross-border investments and M&A. Practice co-head Manish Mishra heads up the firm’s indirect tax offering, handling both tax-efficient transaction planning work and disputes. Co-head Kumarmanglam Vijay leads on the direct tax front and is the name to note for transfer pricing and international taxation issues.

Managing partner Gajendra Maheshwari leads the tax offering at Reina Legal, which represents higher education institutions, tech companies, and retailers in VAT, input tax credit, and GST disputes before various Indian courts and tax authorities. Seasoned litigator Maheshwari also handles property tax matters and indirect tax reviews and restructuring.

S&A Law Offices fields a broad tax offering that spans both indirect and direct tax work, including tax planning, restructuring, compliance matters, and tax investigations. Senior partner Daizy Chawla heads up the firm’s direct tax offering, handling domestic and cross-border corporate tax issues. Experienced litigator Smita Singh takes point on the indirect tax front, advising Indian and multinational companies on contentious and non-contentious GST and customs and trade law matters.

Boutique firm BSA Law specialises in providing indirect tax advice for both domestic and international companies seeking advice on central excise, customs, and service tax issues. Practice head and founder Ashok Kumar Bhasin handles both advisory and contentious matters, acting for clients in the telecoms, real estate, automotive, and media industries on a wide range of matters.

DMD Advocates has notable strength in advising clients in the shipping, trade, and logistics sectors on international taxation matters, transfer pricing issues, and tax disputes. Founder and managing partner Anuradha Dutt, senior partner Rupak Saha, and Tushar Jarwal share practice leadership; Jarwal focuses his practice on tax planning, tax controversy, and dispute resolution, working alongside indirect tax specialist Shashank Shekhar, who joined the firm in 2023.

Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India regularly acts for clients in the insurance, healthcare and tech sectors on the full spectrum of tax issues, including indirect tax disputes and the tax aspects of corporate transactions. A core figure in the team is Sanjeev Sachdeva, who takes point on indirect tax matters. Sachdeva works alongside the direct tax-focused Rubal Bansal Maini, who joined the firm in October 2023.

Dedicated indirect taxation boutique firm TLC Legal has extensive expertise across the full spectrum of work, including customs, central excise, service tax, GST, and VAT issues. Managing partner Vipin Jain, senior partner Vishal Agrawal, and Aqeel Sheerazi jointly head the group; Jain is a key name for tax planning, cross-border transactions, and disputes, while Agrawal and Sheerazi are key ports of call for indirect tax litigation.