GIFT City / Gujarat / India

India’s Tax-Free Onshore–Offshore Gateway.

GIFT International Financial Services Centre is an IFSCA-regulated jurisdiction in India for international financial services, funds, insurance, leasing, FinTech and global corporate functions.

An important clarification.“Tax-free” means access to the reliefs provided by law for eligible IFSC units and qualifying income. It is not an unconditional zero rate for every company or transaction.

GIFT City / Gujarat / India

10 / 15

100% deduction on business income for any 10 consecutive years out of the first 15 — for an eligible unit and eligible income.

9

Reduced MAT rate where applicable; the regime depends on the tax option chosen and the company’s profile.

The next date and venue will be published when the programme is confirmed.

Platform model

Onshore by law. Offshore by purpose.

Onshore India

The company is physically and legally established in India, operates inside the GIFT SEZ, and is subject to Indian law and to IFSCA as the unified financial regulator.

International operations

Permitted operations are directed at international financial services, non-residents, foreign currency and cross-border structures, within the scope of the specific licence.

IFSCA registrations

Which licences and registrations are available.

Below is a map of the main activities listed by IFSCA. The exact form of authorisation and the requirements for capital, personnel and activity are set by the regulations for each vertical.

GIFT City does not issue a single universal “licence for everything”. An applicant selects a regulated activity and files the Common Application Form with the relevant annexure, or follows the dedicated procedure for that category.

Banking

IFSC banking units and international banking operations, subject to the relevant IFSCA authorisation.

Fund management

Fund Management Entities, funds, pension products, angel funds and family investment funds — under the applicable category of registration or authorisation.

Capital markets

Exchange and clearing infrastructure, brokers, dealers, depositories and other capital-market intermediaries.

Insurance

IFSC insurance offices and insurance intermediaries under the relevant registration rules.

Finance companies

Finance companies and finance units, including permitted lending, treasury and other international financial services.

Aircraft leasing

Financing, ownership and leasing of aircraft through permitted IFSC structures.

Ship leasing

Financing and leasing of vessels, subject to IFSCA conditions and the applicable tax regime.

FinTech and Sandbox

FinTech projects, innovation and regulatory sandboxes, and certain payment services under the corresponding procedures.

Bullion and commodities

Trading and clearing members for precious metals, vault managers and related infrastructure roles.

Ancillary and global services

Ancillary services, global in-house centres, accounting, tax, compliance and other permitted professional services.

Other regulated activities

Certain regimes provide procedures for foreign universities and other entities specified by IFSCA.

Setup route

From idea to permitted activity.

IFSCA recommends first discussing the business plan with the development team, then choosing the relevant regulatory vertical and applying through the single window.

1

Define the permitted activity, the target market and a suitable legal form: a new company, an LLP or a branch.

2

Prepare the business plan, corporate governance, capital, key personnel and physical presence in GIFT City.

3

Select an office and obtain preliminary confirmation of the premises.

4

Apply through the Single Window IT System together with the Common Application Form and the relevant annexures.

5

Obtain IFSCA and SEZ approvals, then complete the tax, banking and operational registrations.

GIFT City consultation

Discuss your model with the Center.

Describe your company, your activity and your objective. We will help you draw up an initial list of questions on licensing, structure and professional advisers.

A Bharat Rus Center consultation is informational and navigational in nature and does not constitute legal, tax, investment or regulatory advice.

Sources and verification date

IFSCA — How to Apply; IFSCA — Fund Management; IFSCA / EY — GIFT City–IFSC: Key Tax Considerations and Setup Process, February 2025. Information verified on 9 September 2026. This page contains no external links.