Judicial decisions in the recent past have emphasised the need for substance over form and careful consideration of tax treaties, feels Supreme Court Justice R. Mahadevan. ADVERTISEMENTJustice Mahadevan was speaking at a seminar, “Evolving Landscape of Taxation, Litigation, and Regulatory Framework in India”, organised by the Income Tax Bar Association, Calcutta. In January, a bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Mahadevan delivered a landmark judgment on an international tax treaty, involving investment firm Tiger Global’s stake sale in e-commerce major Flipkart to US retail giant Walmart. “Direct taxation in India stands at the crossroads,” Justice Mahadevan noted, adding that legislative agility, judicial wisdom and administrative efficiency must converge for a tax ecosystem that is fair, certain and growth-oriented. India also responded to the global and domestic imperatives with the introduction of digital economy taxation, GAAR and international taxation.

Source: The Telegraph February 13, 2026 03:07 UTC