India

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Financial reporting framework in India

India originally intended to converge with IFRSs in a phased approach beginning in 2011, but transition to Ind AS was postponed. In January 2015, the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) released a revised roadmap that reflects that, in essence, companies with a net worth of Rs. 500 crore or more will have to mandatorily follow Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS), which are largely converged with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), from 1 April 2016. Corporates having a net worth of less than Rs. 500 crore but are listed, or in the process of getting listed, and companies with a net worth of Rs. 250 crore or more will have to follow the new norms from 1 April 2017. For banking, insurance and non-banking finance companies, which were exempt from the general roadmap, a separate one has was drawn up in January 2016 that will see a phased approach with Ind AS adoption beginning from 1 April 2018. This was later deferred to 1 April 2019.

To help companies with transition, the ICAI's Ind AS Transition Facilitation Group (ITFG) issues Ind AS Clarification Bulletins - they are available here.

In summary, the details for companies coming under the roadmaps are:

The Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) shall be applicable to the companies as follows:
  1. On voluntary basis for financial statements for accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2015, with the comparatives for the periods ending 31st March, 2015 or thereafter;
  2. On mandatory basis for the accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2016, with comparatives for the periods ending 31st March, 2016, or thereafter, for the companies specified below: 
    1. Companies whose equity and/or debt securities are listed or are in the process of listing on any stock exchange in India or outside India and having net worth of Rs. 500 Crore or more. 
    2. Companies other than those covered in (2.) (a) above, having net worth of Rs. 500 Crore or more. 
    3. Holding, subsidiary, joint venture or associate companies of companies covered under (2.) (a) and (2.) (b) above. 
  3. On mandatory basis for the accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2017, with comparatives for the periods ending 31st March, 2017, or thereafter, for the companies specified below: 
    1. Companies whose equity and/or debt securities are listed or are in the process of being listed on any stock exchange in India or outside India and having net worth of less than rupees 500 Crore.
    2. Companies other than those covered in paragraph (2.) and paragraph (3.)(a) above that is unlisted companies having net worth of rupees 250 crore or more but less than rupees 500 Crore. 
    3. Holding, subsidiary, joint venture or associate companies of companies covered under paragraph (3.) (a) and (3.) (b) above. 
    However, Companies whose securities are listed or in the process of listing on SME exchanges shall not be required to apply Ind AS. Such companies shall continue to comply with the existing Accounting Standards unless they choose otherwise.
  4. Once a company opts to follow the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS), it shall be required to follow the Ind AS for all the subsequent financial statements. 
  5. Companies not covered by the above roadmap shall continue to apply existing Accounting Standards prescribed in Annexure to the Companies (Accounting Standards) Rules, 2006.
  6. Banks:
    • Scheduled commercial banks (excluding regional rural banks) will be required to prepare Ind AS based financial statements for accounting periods beginning from 1 April 2019 onwards. Ind AS will be applicable to both consolidated and individual financial statements. 
    • Holdings, subsidiaries, joint ventures or associate companies of scheduled commercial banks (excluding regional rural banks) will be required to prepare Ind AS based financial statements for accounting periods beginning from 1 April 2019 onwards.
    • Urban cooperative banks and regional rural banks are not required to apply Ind AS and will continue to comply with the current accounting standards applicable to them.
  7. Non-banking financial companies:
    • Phase I companies required to prepare Ind AS based financial statements for accounting periods beginning from 1 April 2019 onwards (consolidated and individual financial statements) are:
      • non-banking financial companies having net worth of Rs. 500 crores or more; and
      • holdings, subsidiaries, joint ventures or associate companies of the companies above other than those companies already covered under the general corporate roadmap.
    • Phase II companies required to prepare Ind AS based financial statements for accounting periods beginning from 1 April 2019 onwards (consolidated and individual financial statements) are:
      • non-banking financial companies whose equity and/or debt securities are listed or are in the process of listing on any stock exchange in India or outside India and having net worth less than Rs .500 crores;
      • non-banking financial companies that are unlisted companies, having net worth of Rs. 250 crores or more but less than Rs. 500 crores; and
      • holdings, subsidiaries, joint ventures or associate companies of the companies above other than those companies already covered under the general corporate roadmap.
    • Non-banking financial companies having net worth below Rs. 250 crores and not covered under the above provisions shall continue to apply the current accounting standards applicable to them.
  8. Insurers: Insurance companies will be required to prepare Ind AS based financial statements for accounting periods beginning from 1 April 2020 onwards. Ind AS will be applicable to both consolidated and individual financial statements.

For a comparison of Ind AS and IFRS please see Deloitte India's publication Indian GAAP, IFRS and Ind AS - A Comparison.

Correction list for hyphenation

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