Form 56: Information and documents by a constituent entity under section 171(4)
Source checked 21 October 2026 · Original author: Finin2min Editorial Desk
Purpose, person and period
Information and documents by a constituent entity under section 171(4).
The constituent entity furnishes master-file information in Form 56 under Rule 123, applying the actual threshold and designation rules. Form 57 is the separate designated-entity intimation.
Period gate: This numbered form belongs to the Income-tax Rules, 2026, effective 1 April 2026. The predecessor 3CEAA is a concordance, not permission to change an earlier-year filing into a new-law form. For earlier periods, use the applicable 1961 Act form and saved procedure.
Controlling rule and source pages
Rule 123; Section 263(1), Section 171(4). Physical PDF pp 473-475; printed Gazette pp 2005-2007.
Rule 123 — connected rule text
123. Maintenance and furnishing of information and document by constituent entity of an international group under section 171.— (1) Every person, being a constituent entity of an international group shall, — (a) if the consolidated group revenue of the int ernational group, of which such person is a constituent entity, as reflected in the consolidated financial statement of the international group for the accounting year, exceeds five hundred crore rupees; and (b) the aggregate value of international transactions, — (i) during the accounting year, as per the books of account, exceeds fifty crore rupees; or [PDF PAGE 97] [भाग II—खण् ड 3(i)] भारतकाराजपत्र:असाधारण 1629 (ii) in respect of purchase, sale, transfer, lease or use of intangible property during the accounting year, as per the books of account, exceeds ten crore rupees, keep and maintain the following information and documents of the international group: — (A) a list of all entities of the international group along with their addresses; (B) a chart depicting the legal status of the constituent entity and o wnership structure of the entire international group; (C) a description of the business of international group during the accounting year including — (I) the nature of the business or businesses; (II) the important drivers of profits of such business or businesses; (III) a description of the supply chain for the five largest products or services of the international group in terms of revenue and any other products including services amounting to more than 5% of consolidated group revenue; (IV) a list an d brief description of important service arrangements made among members of the international group, other than those for research and development services; (V) a description of the capabilities of the main service providers within the international group; (VI) details about the transfer pricing policies for allocating service costs and determining prices to be paid for intra-group services; (VII) a list and description of the major geographical markets for the products and services offered by the international group; (VIII) a description of the functions performed, assets employed and risks assumed by the constituent entities of the international group that contribute at least 10% of the revenues or assets or profits of such group; and (IX) a description of the important business restructuring transactions, acquisitions and divestments; (D) a description of the overall strategy of the international group for the development, ownership and exploitation of intangible property including location of principal research and development facilities and their management; (E) a list of all entities of the international group engaged in development and management of intangible property along with their addresses; (F) a list of all the important intangible property or groups of intangible property owned by the international group along with the names and addresses of the group entities that legally own such intangible property; (G) a list and brief description of important agreements among members of the international group related to intangible property, including cost contribution arrangements, principal research service agreements and license agreements; (H) a detailed description of the transfer pricing policies of the international group related to research and development and intangible property; [PDF PAGE 98] 1630 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)] (I) a description of important transfers of interest in intangible property, if any, among entities of the international group, including the name and address of the selling and buying entities and the compensation paid for such transfers; (J) a detailed description of the financing arrangements of the international group, including the names and addresses of the top ten unrelated lenders; (K) a list of group entities that provide central financing functi ons, including their place of operation and of effective management; (L) a detailed description of the transfer pricing policies of the international group related to financing arrangements among group entities; (M) a copy of the annual consolidated financial statement of the international group; and (N) a list and brief description of the existing unilateral advance pricing agreements and other tax rulings in respect of the international group for allocation of income among countries. (2) The information and document specified in sub -rule (1) shall be furnished to the Joint Director referred to in rule 124(1), in Form No. 56, on or before the due date for furnishing the return of income as specified under section 263(1)(c). (3) The constituent entity shall furnish Part A of Form No. 56 even if the conditions specified in sub -rule (1) are not satisfied. (4) Where there are more than one constituent entities of an international group required to file the information and document in sub-rule (2), then Form No. 56 may be furnished by any one constituent entity, if, — (a) the international group has designated such entity for this purpose; and (b) the information has been conveyed in Form No. 57 to the Joint Director referred to in rule 124(1) in this behalf, thirty days before the due date of furnishing the Form No. 56. (5) The information and documents specified in sub -rule (1) shall be kept and maintained for a period of nine years from the end of the relevant tax year. (6) The rate of exchange for the calculation of the value in rupees of the consolidated group revenue in foreign currency shall be the telegraphic transfer buying rate of such currency on the last day of the accounting year. (7) In this rule, — (a) the expressions ―accounting yea r‖, ―consolidated financial statement‖ and ―international group‖ shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in section 511(10); and (b) ―telegraphic transfer buying rate‖ shall have the meaning assigned in rule 207.
Completed field illustration
Fictional data, not for filing. A hypothetical two-entity international group demonstrates the master-file entity map and selected annexure content.
| Form field / block | Completed fictional entry |
|---|---|
| Part A: reporting entity / PAN / address / contact | Example Software India Ltd / synthetic ZZZCE0000Z / 10 Model Road, Pune / tax@example.invalid, +91 0000000000 |
| Row 6: accounting year | 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 |
| Row 7: group / address | Example Technology Group / 10 Example Street, Boston, United States |
| Row 8: all Indian constituent entities | Example Software India Ltd / synthetic ZZZCE0000Z / Pune; only Indian constituent in this scenario |
| Row 9: worldwide entity / status / intangible development / legal ownership | Example Parent Inc / US corporation / Yes / Yes / model software IP; Example Software India Ltd / Indian company / Yes under contract / No / ownership cell not applicable |
| A-1/A-2: structure and business | Parent owns 100% of Indian service company; software services are the only product; parent owns customer contracts and IP, Indian company provides captive development |
| A-3 to A-6: intangibles and policies | US principal directs R&D and owns model software IP; Indian development agreement cost-based; no IP transfers in scenario |
| A-7 to A-9: financing | No external debt, central group lending or intra-group finance assumed |
| A-10/A-11 | Model consolidated financial statement / no assumed APAs or allocation rulings |
| Verification | Company-officer model / NOT SIGNED |
This illustrates the named fields, not every possible schedule. Use the complete official extract for additional applicable fields, annexures and verification. “Not signed” means no professional certification or authority action has occurred.
Reconcile the example
- The group contains two entities; the Indian entity list contains one, not both.
- Legal intangible ownership is recorded separately from performing development work.
Part B thresholds and Rule 123 obligations must be tested with actual group financial data. The entity list alone does not prove that every master-file annexure is required. Read the April corrigendum’s constituent-entity wording.
Prepare, furnish and retain
- Use the form identity and period above, then determine the person who prepares, issues or verifies it from Rule 123. An authority-issued order is not an applicant filing.
- Collect the records that support the actual fields in the example; keep any mandatory schedules and annexures specified in the complete source form.
- Reconcile dates, amounts, units and identifiers to the underlying records. Preserve the applicable rule version and any later correcting notification.
- Where the rule prescribes electronic furnishing, use the current official utility/schema and authorised verification. A local PDF does not produce a portal acknowledgement.
- Retain the submitted version, supporting schedules and actual acknowledgement or issued certificate/order, as applicable. This fictional model supplies none of those evidential outcomes.
Download the correct documents
Official Form 56 source extract Filled sample — fictional field illustration
The official extract preserves source pages; later amendments are supplied with affected forms. Read the April corrigendum where its printed-page corrections apply. The filled field illustration is an educational model and cannot be filed.
Primary sources
Questions readers ask
Does this sample prove approval, filing or a professional conclusion?
No. It completes the named fields using synthetic facts. It has no real signature, DSC, approval or acknowledgement.
Can I use the legacy form number for a current tax-year obligation?
Establish the governing period first. A predecessor number is a cross-reference; earlier-year procedures and current-year forms must be kept distinct.