India reported its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases on Saturday, adding 11,458 confirmed infections and taking the its total count to more than 300,000, according to data from the federal health ministry.
India is the fourth-worst affected country in the world, having surpassed the United Kingdom on Friday, with cases steadily increasingly despite a nationwide lockdown that began in late March and has since been loosened.
Confirmed cases in the worst-hit western state of Maharashtra moved past the 100,000 mark, data showed on Saturday.
Despite the rising case load, the recovery rate of patients was improving, with more than 147,000 people having been cured, the federal government said on Friday.
India has 145,779 active cases, and has recorded 8,884 deaths.
It comes after a top official in the capital New Delhi said deaths from coronavirus there are almost twice as high as official figures show.
With India's lockdown being widely eased, the government has been reporting almost 10,000 new confirmed cases every day with infections totalling almost 300,000.
Densely populated megacities such as Delhi and Mumbai are the worst affected, stretching hospitals to breaking point.
But data in Delhi is understating the true scale of the outbreak, said Jai Prakash, standing committee head of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, one of the three sub-districts that make up the capital.
Citing data from the city's busy crematoriums and cemeteries, Mr Prakash said Thursday that just over 2,000 people have died from the virus across the city - almost twice the official toll.
"These were corona positive cases. We have a separate record of funerals of some another 200 suspected cases," Prakash told reporters.
But the party that governs Delhi as a whole, which has come under fire for its handling of the health crisis, rejected the claims.
"This is a time to unite and save lives of people. This is not the time to make allegations," the Aam Aadmi Party said in a statement.
Financial capital Mumbai is officially India's worst affected city with almost 2,000 fatalities.
Parts of the Dharavi area in Mumbai, one of Asia's largest slums, have been under strict months-long lockdown. The number of new cases has been easing, with 20 new infections confirmed on Friday.
The death toll in the southern city of Chennai is at least 460, more than double the official figure, media reports said this week.
Despite the surge in cases nationally, which is being mirrored elsewhere in South Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has declared the lockdown a success and has been steadily lifting restrictions.
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Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
