SIAM Hosts 3rd Automotive Taxation Conference 2026 to Shape a Future-Ready Tax Ecosystem

2026-08-06 03:31:08 Events / Trade Shows

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New Delhi, 6th August 2026: The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organised the 3rd SIAM Automotive Taxation Conference 2026, themed "Bharat AutoTax: Steering Policy, Technology and Growth" at Shangri-la, New Delhi. The conference deliberated on policy reforms, digital transformation and emerging global taxation trends shaping the automotive industry. It also addressed agile tax policies, transfer pricing, Pillar Two, TDS reforms, audit and dispute resolution, and the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in tax administration and compliance.

Mr Sanjeev Agarwal, Chairman, SIAM Direct Tax Group and Head, Taxation & Customs, BMW India, said, "Tax is no longer just a compliance function. It is increasingly a strategic enabler, supporting investment decisions, supply chain resilience, risk management, competitiveness and trust with stakeholders. Compliance must become seamless, governance must become proactive, policies must remain agile, and trust must become real."

In his special address, Mr Vivek Johri, Senior Advisor, KPMG India, said, “The automobile industry is changing rapidly, and this presents an opportunity to align the tax framework with the technologies and business models driving the sector today. The industry looks forward to working closely with the government to build a shared understanding of the key issues and support a more streamlined tax environment.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Carsten Lammers, Chief Financial Officer, BMW Group India, said, "The automotive industry is undergoing unprecedented transformation, where software and AI capabilities, connectivity and sustainability are becoming key differentiators. Tax functions have moved from a back-office role to the boardroom as a strategic business priority and this is improving the ease of doing business. India is the next big opportunity, supported by a growing middle class, rising consumption and strong manufacturing capabilities.”

Mr Arnab Roy, Chief Financial Officer, Maruti Suzuki India, added, “The need of the hour is to build on the success of 'One Nation, One Tax' and move towards 'One Nation, One Governance'. GST 2.0 has helped drive industry growth and demand, but seamless credit transfer, greater tax certainty, faster dispute resolution, structured government-industry dialogue and a stronger digital mindset will be essential to further improve the ease of doing business.”

Adding to the discussion, Mr Veeresh Prasad, Co-Chairman, SIAM Taxation Policy Group and General Manager (Indirect Taxation & Impex), Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Vehicles are becoming software-defined, EVs are transforming supply chains, global sourcing is becoming increasingly competitive, and regulations are becoming more data-driven. AI is shifting the conversation from traditional tax functions to identifying emerging risks, prioritising transactions that need attention and preventing disputes before they arise.”

On this occasion, Mr Anil Sahani, Co-Chairman, SIAM Taxation Procedure Group and Vice President (Finance), Head, Tax, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The industry has moved from an enforcement-driven regime to one that facilitates voluntary compliance, provides greater certainty and reduces avoidable disputes. The question before us is no longer whether reforms are required, but how we can make audits more collaborative. Litigation should be the last resort, and the rest should be resolved by trust.”

Mr Sanjay Seth, Co-Chairman, SIAM Direct Tax Group and Head - Taxation, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Domestic and international tax systems are changing continuously, and governments around the world are introducing measures to plug loopholes for tax evasion while ensuring there are minimal hassles for honest taxpayers. The way the automobile industry has grown has also had a definite impact on how companies price and manage transactions within their global business operations.”

The conference also witnessed expert deliberations by Mr Rajat Kapoor, Commissioner - Income Tax (TP 2), New Delhi, Mr D D Goyal, Consultant - Finance and Taxation, Maruti Suzuki India, Ms Nidhi Grover, Vice President - Group Taxation, Anand Group India, Mr Rajeev Dimri, Partner – Tax, KPMG India, Mr Prashanth Agarwal, Partner, PwC India, Mr Pradeep Mitra, Head - Direct Tax, Tata Motors, Mr Chetan Joshi, Vice President - Taxation, Bajaj Auto, Ms Ankita Rungta, Head - Direct Tax, JSW MG Motor, Mr Vijay Iyer, Partner, E&Y, Mr Ravi Poojary, Vice President - Taxation, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mr Sobhan Kar, Senior Advisor – Transfer Pricing, Deloitte India, Mr Shivam Mehta, Executive Partner, M/s Lakshmi Kumaran and Sridharan, Advocates, Mr Santosh Singh, General Manager, Tata Motors, Mr Rakesh Dube, Founder, Tax Genie and Mr Srivatsan Chari, Co-Founder, ClearTax.

The conference concluded that the automotive industry will continue to work with the Government for developing a modern and globally competitive taxation framework that promotes innovation, investment and long-term growth.

About SIAM

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is an apex national body representing all major vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in India. It is a society with charitable objectives registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Its objectives include enhancing the contribution of automobile industry to the growth and development of Indian economy, assisting the automobile industry to meet its social obligations and encouraging the efficiency of industry in general and automobile industry particularly in India. SIAM focuses on activities related to improvement of environment and ensuring safety and protection of automobile vehicle users and public at large. Recognising these objectives, SIAM has been granted registration under the Income Tax Act, 1961 as an institution with charitable purpose.