AIS to soon reflect taxpayers' foreign investments under new CBDT order

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) of taxpayers may soon reflect their foreign investments in countries from which Indian tax authorities receive financial information under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on July 8, 2026, issued an order authorising the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), Delhi, to upload information received under the AEOI framework to the AIS within 90 days of receiving the information.

"In exercise of powers conferred under section 239 of the Income-tax Act,2025 read with Rule 245(2) of the Income-tax Rules,2026, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, hereby authorises the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), Delhi to upload information, received under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework under an agreement referred to in section 159 of the said Act in the Annual Information Statement in Form No. 168, which is in his possession within ninety days from the end of the month in which the information is received by him," CBDT said,

The order further said that the "Director-General of Income-tax (Systems), Delhi shall specify the procedures, formats and standards for the purposes of uploading of Annual Information Statement in Form No.168 containing the information referred to in the para above."

What is Form 168?

Notified under Rule 245 of the Income-tax Rules, 2026, Form 168 provides a comprehensive annual tax information statement of taxpayers. It reflects all tax-related and specified financial transactions linked to a taxpayer’s PAN.

The AIS helps both taxpayers and the Income Tax Department to verify taxes paid, income sources, and compliance history.

In a separate order, the CBDT also authorised the Director-General of Income-tax (Systems), Delhi to upload the information received under AEOI in the AIS in Form 26AS under Income-tax Rules, 1962 for the following periods:

• For the period 01.01.2022 to 31.12.2022, 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023 and 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2024, within 90 days from July 8, 2026

• For the period 01.01.2025 to 31.12.2025, within 90 days from the end of the month in which the information is received.

What is AEOI?

Under the AEOI framework, a country shares the financial information of the resident investors of a member country.

There is a common reporting standard for AEOI, under which financial institutions in the “source” country collect and report information to their tax authorities about resident account holders in other countries. Such information is then transmitted on a yearly basis.

Under AEOI, the reporting is done for a wide range of financial products by financial institutions, including banks, depository institutions, collective investment vehicles, and insurance companies.

As of now, India receives financial information of Indians from 111 jurisdictions under AEOI, while it sends information under this framework to 86 countries, according to the Income Tax Department.