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TDS on Tech Vendor Payments: What Indian Startups Need to Know in 2026

If your startup or tech company pays vendors, contractors, or cloud providers above threshold amounts, TDS obligations apply under the Income Tax Act.
Key TDS sections for tech businesses:

Section 194C: TDS at 1% (individual/HUF) or 2% (company) on contractor payments above Rs 30,000 per transaction or Rs 1 lakh per year
Section 194J: TDS at 10% on professional fees (software development, consulting, legal) above Rs 30,000
Section 194-O: TDS at 1% on e-commerce operator payments to sellers above Rs 5 lakh
Section 195: TDS on payments to non-resident foreign vendors (AWS, Google Cloud, Stripe) , rate depends on DTAA
Filing deadlines:

Deposit TDS by 7th of the following month
File TDS returns quarterly (Form 24Q / 26Q) by 31st of the month after quarter end
Missing TDS deposits attracts interest at 1.5% per month. Late TDS returns attract Rs 200/day penalty.

Tax Garden (https://taxgarden.in) handles TDS computation, deposit, and quarterly return filing for startups and MSMEs in Hyderabad.

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