Chartered Accountants◆Practising since 2016

UAE to India · Repatriation

Moving profits from India to the UAE

CA Utsav Dogra, Chartered Accountant, ICAI M. No. 542375 · Updated

In brief

Profit can leave India as a dividend (10%), royalty (10%), service fee, interest (5% (banks), 12.5% otherwise) or buyback. The UAE has no withholding tax and exempts qualifying dividends from its 9% corporate tax, so the Indian rate is often the total cost.

What is specific to UAE companies

The UAE has no withholding tax and exempts qualifying dividends from its 9% corporate tax, so the Indian rate is often the total cost of repatriation.

Routes compared

RouteIndian taxWhat it needs
Dividend10%Distributable profits; board or shareholder approval
Royalty10%A real licence; arm's-length price
Service feeThere is no separate technical fees article, so such fees are usually tested as business profits.Agreement, evidence of services, benchmark
Interest5% (banks), 12.5% otherwiseRegistered ECB loan
BuybackDomestic rulesCompany-law limits; FEMA pricing

Our services

How SU and Company helps

We plan and document how money moves back to the parent, at the right treaty rate.

  • Dividend, royalty, fee and interest planning
  • Treaty withholding and remittance paperwork
  • Board and FEMA steps for dividends and buybacks
  • Indian figures and certificates for the parent's tax relief

Questions

Which route is cheapest?

It depends on the parent's home-country position and the substance behind each charge; dividends are simplest, fees and royalties need contracts and transfer pricing support.

General information as at 5 November 2026, not advice for a particular case. Indian and UAE rules change often; confirm the current position before acting. UAE law points should be confirmed with a UAE adviser.

Queries

Send the firm a query

Tell us briefly what you need. A member of the team will get back to you.

We use your details only to respond to your query. See our privacy policy.

Call