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Luxembourg NRIs · Dividend Tax

Dividend tax on Indian shares for NRIs in Luxembourg

Dividends from Indian companies are withheld at the non-resident rate before they reach you in Luxembourg — here's the treaty position and how to reclaim any excess.

When an Indian company pays you a dividend while you live in Luxembourg, the company withholds tax at source before the money reaches you. India's default withholding on non-resident dividends is 20% under Section 195. The India-Luxembourg treaty position on dividends is more favourable — it caps the rate at 10% for individual residents, a real saving over the 20% default (Article 10: flat 10% treaty cap, irrespective of shareholding size). To claim it you need Form 10F and a Tax Residency Certificate on file with the company or your broker.

India-Luxembourg key facts: dividend tax

Default Section 195 rate20%
India-Luxembourg DTAA treaty rate10%
Your saving via the treaty10%
Treaty article / basisArticle 10: flat 10% treaty cap, irrespective of shareholding size
Your TRC issuing authorityAdministration des contributions directes (ACD)

Rates reflect India's domestic Section 195 withholding and the India-Luxembourg treaty. Surcharge and cess apply on top where relevant.

How it works on the India side

Since the 2020 shift back to classical dividend taxation, dividends from Indian companies are taxable in the shareholder's hands and the company deducts TDS before paying. For a non-resident the default is Section 195 at 20% (plus surcharge and cess). Whether a treaty rate is available depends on the specific treaty — for many countries the lower dividend rate is written only for companies holding a large stake in the Indian payer, which means individual portfolio investors stay at the domestic rate.

Where a lower individual rate does apply, you claim it with Form 10F and a Tax Residency Certificate lodged with the company or broker, and any quarter withheld at the higher rate before your paperwork was on file is reclaimed through your Indian return. Where no lower rate applies, the dividend still goes on your return, and the real relief sits on your home-country side as a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax already paid.

What changes because you live in Luxembourg

Luxembourg residents are taxed on worldwide income, sorted into tax classes by family status, with a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax paid. The treaty's flat 10% cap on Indian interest and dividends applies to everyone, with no shareholding sub-rate, so even a large holder gets the lower rate once a TRC and Form 10F are on file. That makes claiming the treaty rate up front worthwhile rather than suffering the 20% dividend default and reclaiming later.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from Luxembourg NRIs

Dividend Tax sorted, by an Indian CA who works with Luxembourg NRIs

Tell us your situation and a practising Chartered Accountant will confirm the rate that applies, the paperwork you need, and what you can reclaim — on a free call, no obligation.

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