The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) successfully hosted the 3rd SIAM Automotive Taxation Conference 2026, centred around the theme “Bharat AutoTax: Steering Policy, Technology and Growth.” The conference brought together industry experts and tax professionals to discuss the evolving taxation landscape and its impact on India’s automotive sector.
The event focused on policy reforms, digital transformation, and global taxation trends that are reshaping the industry. Key discussions covered agile tax policies, transfer pricing, OECD Pillar Two implementation, TDS reforms, tax audits, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in tax administration and compliance.
Speaking at the conference, Sanjeev Agarwal, Chairman of the SIAM Direct Tax Group and Head – Taxation & Customs at BMW India, highlighted the strategic importance of taxation in today’s business environment. He said tax has evolved beyond a compliance function to become a critical enabler of investment decisions, supply chain resilience, risk management, competitiveness, and stakeholder trust. He added that the future tax ecosystem should prioritise seamless compliance, proactive governance, agile policymaking, and greater transparency.
Delivering the special address, Vivek Johri, Senior Advisor at KPMG India, noted that the automotive industry is undergoing rapid transformation, creating an opportunity to modernise the country’s tax framework. He emphasised the importance of aligning tax policies with emerging technologies and new business models while fostering close collaboration between the government and industry to create a more efficient and future-ready 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.
