Regulatory updates - India

The new feature in the EWB system aims to allow taxpayers in Kerala State to generate EWB for goods covered under Chapter 71.  

The feature excludes the generation of EWB for imitation jewelry and applies only to the intrastate movement of those goods within Kerala.  

For imitation jewelry goods, the taxpayers can continue generating EWB using the usual option in the system. 

The glossary describes what is e.g. an e-invoicing, the Invoice Registration Portal (IRP), the Invoice Reference Number (IRN), the difference between Debit and Credit Note and the e-invoice QR code. The list is broader and explains also the technical matters e.g. JSON format and API connection for e-invoice reporting via IRP.

The guide further explains the details of the e-invoicing processes, as well as what taxpayers are in and out of scope and the document types that must be reported.

The published materials do not introduce any changes to the current system. Instead, they serve as an educational source aimed to help businesses better understand their obligations by getting insights into how the E-Invoicing system operates.

Additionally, earlier on 27 November 2024 the GSTN published an Advisory No. 553 document on the authorized B2B e-invoice verification apps, to ensure that taxpayers have up-to date details regarding the approved apps. These mobile apps will allow buyers to verify the authenticity of an issued invoice, by scanning the respective QR code. This will simplify the invoice verification process, making it convenient for the buyers to verify their documents.

On 5 November 2024, the Goods and Services Tax Authority (GSTN) in India announced that taxable persons with annual aggregate turnover (AATO) INR 10 crores and above (ca. EUR 110 000) will have a 30-day window to report e-invoices as of 1 April 2025.

The IRP portal passes validations that prevent taxpayers from reporting electronic invoices surpassing 30 days. For instance, an invoice with a date equivalent to 1 April 2025 will not be allowed to be reported after 30 April 2025.

The GSTN clarifies in the announcement that this new requirement applies to all document types: invoices, credit notes, and debit notes.