| Weekly business and foreign investment news roundup in Asia by Asia Briefing and Dezan Shira & Associates (An Ascentium Company). |
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| | The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to take effect on 20 October 2026. The FTA will provide duty-free access to New Zealand for 100 per cent of India’s exports. India has offered tariff concessions on 70.03 per cent of tariff lines, covering approximately 95 per cent of bilateral trade value, while the agreement includes a US$20 billion investment promotion commitment and market-access commitments across 106 services sectors. | | | | The Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2026, effective 4 September introduces changes to establishment registration, digital compliance, employee documentation, and enforcement. Qualifying establishments with 10 or more workers registered under the OSH Code, 2020, are exempt from separate registration, while employers must issue service certificates within seven days of an employee’s request and cannot retain original employee documents. | | | | India has raised the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from INR 15,000 to INR 25,000 per month, up by 66 per cent. The changes came into effect on 17 September 2026. The revision is expected to extend social security coverage to more than 5.1 million additional employees, with implications for workforce eligibility, payroll contributions, and employer costs. | | | | India’s Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the Income Tax (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2026, extending specified registration deadlines for valuers and authorised income tax practitioners to 31 March 2027. The amendments primarily address administrative and procedural requirements rather than introducing new general corporate tax obligations. Businesses should review their engagements with tax professionals and track the revised registration requirements. | | | | India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act and Rules set out data protection requirements for SaaS and technology businesses, including consent management, data security, breach reporting, vendor oversight, and cross-border data transfers. As implementation progresses, Phase II, covering consent manager registration, takes effect on 13 November 2026, while Phase III, encompassing core data protection obligations, commences on 13 May 2027. | | |
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COMPLIMENTARY BUSINESS RESOURCES: |  | | | | The issue offers practical insights into exporting to India, working with distributors, leveraging FTAs for market access, and transitioning to a local presence as operations expand. | | | | This issue explains how India’s labor codes, state-level minimum wage rules, employment models, contractor risks, payroll TDS obligations, and the Income-tax Act, 2025 affect workforce planning, compensation structuring, HR administration, and employee exits. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR ASIA: | | Webinar | Friday, September 25, 2026 | 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM Liberty Central Saigon Centre | 179 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Thanh Ward, HCMC, Vietnam | | | | Meeting | Monday-Thursday, Oct. 5-8, 2026 | Hong Kong | | |
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