India–Saudi Arabia DTAA rates for NRIs

The India–Saudi Arabia tax treaty (2006) caps the tax India can deduct on several kinds of income paid to residents of Saudi Arabia. Here are the rates and how to claim them.

Rates checked on against the treaty text.

Income from IndiaTreaty rateIndia's normal rate for non-residents
Interest (for example NRO deposits)10% (income from debt-claims)30% plus surcharge and cess
Dividends from Indian companies5%20% plus surcharge and cess
Royalties and fees for technical servicesRoyalties 10%; no fees-for-technical-services articleAs per the Act
Gains on property in IndiaTaxable in India (Art 13: country where property is situated)Taxed in India

The treaty has no FTS article. Its protocol says only that an FTS article will be considered at a later review.

How to claim the treaty rate

Give the payer, usually your bank or the company paying dividends, these documents before the payment:

  • Tax Residency Certificate issued by the tax authority of the country of residence, valid for the relevant Indian tax year. It is uploaded with Form 41, along with the foreign Tax Identification Number (TIN).
  • The self-declaration on Form 41 (formerly Form 10F), filed online with your PAN.

If tax was already deducted at the higher domestic rate, you can claim the difference back by filing an Indian income tax return. The tax paid in India can usually be set off against tax on the same income in Saudi Arabia, under that country's foreign tax credit rules.

Use the DTAA rate finder to compare countries, or read how NRIs claim treaty benefits.

Sources

Treaty articles have conditions and exceptions, such as beneficial ownership and limitation-of-benefit rules. This page is general information, not tax advice.