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Tanzania NRIs · Capital Gains Tax

Capital gains tax on Indian shares and mutual funds for NRIs in Tanzania

Selling Indian equity or mutual funds from Tanzania triggers Indian capital-gains tax — here's the rate, the AMC withholding, and how to reclaim the excess.

If you invest in Indian listed shares or mutual funds while living in Tanzania, gains on those holdings are taxed in India — under the India-Tanzania treaty, India keeps the right to tax gains on Indian securities (Article 13: India taxes gains on shares of an Indian company), so the headline long-term rate stays at 12.5%. When you redeem, your broker or AMC withholds tax on the gain before paying you, often at a flat rate that runs ahead of what you actually owe once the ₹1.25 lakh long-term exemption and your holding period are applied. The over-withheld amount comes back through your Indian return.

India-Tanzania key facts: capital gains tax

Default Section 195 rate12.5%
India-Tanzania DTAA treaty rate12.5%
Your saving via the treatyNo rate reduction — see note below
Treaty article / basisArticle 13: India taxes gains on shares of an Indian company
Your TRC issuing authorityTanzania Revenue Authority (TRA)

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

How it works on the India side

Indian capital-gains tax on equity and equity mutual funds follows Sections 111A and 112A: long-term gains (held over a year) are taxed at 12.5% above a ₹1.25 lakh annual exemption, and short-term gains at 20%, after the Budget 2024 changes. For an NRI, the AMC or broker deducts TDS on the gain at redemption — and because they apply a flat slab without your personal exemption or full holding-period detail, the deduction is frequently more than your real liability.

The correction happens on your return. You compute the gain properly across all your folios and brokers, apply the exemption and the right rate per holding period, and set the TDS already deducted against it. Where the TDS exceeded the actual tax — which is common once the exemption is applied — the excess is refunded. Getting the cost basis right across multiple brokers is the part that most often goes wrong.

What changes because you live in Tanzania

Tanzanian residents are taxed on worldwide income at rates up to 30%, with a foreign tax credit for the Indian tax paid. Work from the revised 2011 treaty, effective in India from FY 2012-13, which set the current 10% interest and dividend caps and replaced the older agreement. For the established merchant families holding real stakes in Indian companies, India taxes those share gains, so map the holding before a sale rather than treating it as a surprise.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from Tanzania NRIs

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Capital Gains Tax sorted, by an Indian CA who works with Tanzania NRIs

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