E-invoicing compliance and regulatory updates - India

Electronic Invoicing in India

Is e-invoicing mandatory in India ?

E-invoicing is mandatory for B2B, B2G, and export transactions for companies with annual turnover above specified thresholds.

Who is affected?

All Indian companies with annual turnover above INR 5 Cr (EUR  0.5 million) must use e-invoicing. The mandate is expected to apply to smaller businesses in the future.

Compliance requirements

Businesses must submit invoice data to the Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) before issuing the invoice. Invoices must be submitted in JSON format. Once submitted and validated, the invoice is signed, and the IRP assigns a unique Invoice Reference Number (IRN). A QR code is generated for both the supplier and buyer to confirm the authenticity and registration of the e-invoice.

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Key Deadlines

• No upcoming deadlines

Standards & Platforms  

Platform

Invoices must be submitted to the appropriate Invoice Registration Portal (IRP), such as NIC-IRP and GSTN-IRP.

What formats are required in India?

JSON format is used for invoice submission. The final invoice must include a QR code and may be presented in JSON, PDF, or paper form.

Archiving in India  

What are the archiving requirements in India?

Invoices must be stored for 72 months after the end of the issuing fiscal year. Storage abroad is allowed if online access is ensured. However, certain sectors may be subject to stricter regulations.

Legal invoice

• For suppliers: A legal invoice is the JSON invoice submitted to and cleared by the IRP, including the IRN and QR code.
• For buyers: A legal invoice is the version received from the supplier that includes the QR code for authenticity.

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Key Actions  

• Ensure compliance – Check if your turnover requires e-invoicing and register with the IRP. Upload invoice data in JSON format and ensure a QR code is included in the document sent to your buyer.
• Follow deadlines – E-invoices older than 30 days cannot be uploaded after April 2025 for larger taxpayers.

Indian e-invoicing and archiving requirements at a glance:

Supplier requirement: An Indian supplier must submit invoices to the IRP in JSON format and include a QR code in the final invoice.

Buyer requirement: An Indian buyer must receive invoices containing the QR code for verification.

Archiving requirement: Invoices must be stored for 72 months after the end of the issuing fiscal year.