Shaifali Arora

• With major assignments into Print, web, electronic and digital media, handled taxation for entire TV-18 Group and few other Corporate into manufacturing and service Industry
• The taxation work included preparation & filing of Income Tax Returns, conducting & filing Tax Audit Reports, filing Transfer Pricing Reports, assisting partner in Direct Tax Litigations, International Tax Compliances and assistance in other day to day Tax matters.

Vedanta Group is one of the world's leading diversified natural resources company.
Joined as Assistant Manager-Indirect Taxation for Cairn Oil & Gas Business Unit of Vedanta Group in July 2017 and eventually promoted as Head-Indirect Taxation to lead the overall Indirect Tax function of the Vedanta Group.
Also taking care of Direct & Indirect Tax Compliances for foreign entities of Vedanta Group in various regions (International Taxation) as an additional charge.
..................................................................................................................
As Head, Indirect Taxation
Responsible for devising Tax strategy for Vedanta existing & new businesses including various metals, mining, Oil & gas exploration, and electronics, due diligence for proposed M&A transactions, advocacy for group tax matters, senior management reporting for critical matters, managing key litigations and complete digital transformation of Indirect Tax function, etc
Tax Litigation Management: Handling high stake inquiries and investigations for Vedanta Group.

Actively involved in getting the Writ Petitions and SLPs drafted and filed at High Court and Supreme Court respectively.

Preparation of Tax Paper for briefing key litigation matters to Audit Committee.

Drafting replies, Appeals, Advance Rulings for the various Tax matters.

Advocacy: Identifying issues for advocacy to be taken for group IDT matters and preparation of representation papers

Representing Vedanta Group before relevant external stakeholders like Ministry of Finance, MoPNG, Ministry of Mines, RoDTEP committee, PRC Committee of DGFT, Directorate of International Customs, etc
 Business Structuring & Advisory: Due diligence for proposed M&A transactions, resolving queries of RPs, Liquidator, other business stakeholder, active involvement in setting up LCD & Semiconductor business in India.
 Tax Automations: Formulating group wide implementation for IDT digital transformation project.
 Strategic matters: Conducting Tax Council meetings on a monthly basis to take decisions on strategic matters impacting entire group and active involvement in Working Capital Management sessions.
 International Taxation: Managing compliances for Direct & Indirect Taxes (Corporate Tax Return, VAT Returns, WHT Returns, other filings) in various regions for Vedanta overseas entities and their Tax provisioning.

• Cairn Oil & Gas BU (Assistant Manager-Manager-Lead Indirect Taxation)
  Expertise in handling business advisories, contract re-structuring, Tax automations/Technologies, advocacy's, compliance adherence, Litigation etc for both pre-GST & GST Regime
   Tax Advisory:
  -Handling day to day business advisories & legal issues in GST & Customs with active involvement in the Contract Re-structuring (procurement contracts) with the Sourcing team bringing Tax efficiencies & Tax optimization with the objective of reducing cost to the company as ITC under GST not being available to the company.
  -Resolving the Tax disputes with the Vendors by partnering with the vendor's Tax teams
  -Resolving issues faced by the customs operations Team for the Imports/Re-exports consignments and assessment of the Bill of Entry/Shipping Bill
  -Dealing with Directorate General of Hydrocarbon & Customs Authorities
  to get required certificate for customs exemptions and getting the Import shipments cleared & dealing with valuation issues at various Ports
   Tax Advocacy's:
  -Active participation in the Oil & Gas operators associations meetings, drafting various Tax advocacy letters/representation letters to be sent to
  MOF/MoPNG, DGH, CBIC, etc through association, coordinating with all the members of the associations
  -Key achievements: could get the resolution for various issues like GST rate reduction to 12% for “Service of exploration, mining or drilling of
  petroleum crude or natural gas or both”, reduction in GST rate for offshore Works contracts, Reduction in threshold limit for applying EC for availing Tax concessions
   Tax automations/Tax technologies:
  -Special emphasis on the Tax automation processes to achieve better efficiencies & control in Tax & related Finance Function
   Tax Litigation:
  -Handling Litigation in all domains of Indirect Tax statutes with more emphasis on the GST, Service Tax & Customs
  -Assistance in filing Advance Rulings with the support of External Tax consultants
   Tax Compliances:
  -Managing the tax team under the outsourced model responsible for preparation of data for statutory compliances, reviewing their work, preparation of SOPs, and assistance in filing various Returns
  -Preparation & review of data for Service Tax audit, GST Audit & Premise Based Customs Audit, etc
  -Assistance in filing of refund under GST & drawback claim refunds under Customs.

• Managing end to end Service Tax & VAT Compliances i.e computation of service tax and VAT payable, preparation of monthly and annual indirect tax returns, IDT accounting, managing IDT GLs, park-post entries, reconciliation between books & returns and finalization of IDT balances to be reported in financials

• Handled IDT compliances (VAT/CST/service tax), collaborated and worked with the Corporate Tax team to ensure that any potential tax risk arising from IDT issues/ concerns are highlighted to the relevant stakeholders and appropriate mitigating action is taken promptly

• Designated as Assistant Manager and worked in Subject Matter Expert team of Indirect Taxation
• Responsible for in house research on indirect taxation laws, issuing tax policies to the tax support team for implementation across all group companies, monitoring the process of preparation of monthly and annual indirect tax returns, vet agreements, liaison with government authorities and tax consultants to facilitate operations, resolving department-level queries and replying the Show cause Notices, day to day advisory services in relation to impact of service tax, VAT, Entry Tax on operations presently carried out by the Company

• Jaquar Group is the undisputed Market leader in the field of Bath fittings in India and capturing International Markets at pace
• Joined as Senior Officer and promoted as Assistant Manager and looked after the Indirect Tax Business Advisory, Tax Compliances, Accounts Reconciliations, etc
• Majorly responsible for Corporate Tax advisory, tax planning, tax structuring & compliances in the areas of service tax & VAT comprising of Works contacts, composition scheme, WCT-TDS & Income Tax-TDS Deductions.