Spain NRIs · Dividend Tax
Dividend tax on Indian shares for NRIs in Spain
Dividends from Indian companies are withheld at the non-resident rate before they reach you in Spain — here's the treaty position and how to reclaim any excess.
India-Spain key facts: dividend tax
| Default Section 195 rate | 20% |
| India-Spain DTAA treaty rate | 15% |
| Your saving via the treaty | 5% |
| Treaty article / basis | Article 11: flat 15% treaty cap on Indian-source dividends, better than the 20% domestic rate |
| Your TRC issuing authority | Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) |
Rates reflect India's domestic Section 195 withholding and the India-Spain 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 Spain
Spanish residents are taxed on worldwide income on the IRPF return (Modelo 100), with a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax paid, and must separately declare foreign assets over 50,000 euro on the Modelo 720. High-net-worth residents also face a wealth tax plus the Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes on an asset base that includes your Indian holdings. One point in your favour: a portfolio share holding below 10% is taxable only in Spain, so India often cannot tax the gain on a small Indian equity or fund position.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from Spanish NRIs
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Dividend Tax sorted, by an Indian CA who works with Spanish NRIs
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