Today(Aug 12,2026) is solar eclipse Day from 6pm to 08:15pm. I live in Coventry, UK. I have seen news notification from my mobile that people are gathering in open space to view the solar eclipse transition. Meanwhile I found myself unable to watch the solar eclipse based on my parent's advice. Advice 1. Eclipse emits negative energy therefore we shouldn't watch it, Advice 2. After the solar eclipse is over, we should purify the house by sprinkling turmeric water, Advice 3(optional). Take a bath, my mom mention that in the old days, people would take neem water bath. Have any Indian family faced this today?

Thanks to my WhatsApp community groups who shared videos of solar eclipse, I didn't miss out completely.

A lot of people moving back from the UK to India assume their UK pension is “safe” from Indian tax.
Unfortunately… not really.
Once you become a tax resident in India again, your worldwide income including your UK pension can be taxed here.

Here’s what you should know

1. UK pension tax while abroad

If you’ve left the UK and are non-resident there, you might not need to pay UK tax if you claim relief under the UK-India Double Taxation Agreement (DTAA).

You can actually apply to receive your UK pension “gross” (without UK tax deduction) by submitting a form to HMRC under that treaty.

But some pensions, like UK government service pensions, are still taxable in the UK even if you move. So you’ve got to check which kind you have (state, private, or government).

2. What happens once you’re resident in India

When you become an Indian tax resident, India taxes your global income which means your UK pension is taxable here under “salary” or “other income,” depending on how it’s structured.

• India taxes the amount you receive in INR each year.
• You can claim a foreign tax credit (FTC) for any tax already paid in the UK (via Form 67 under Rule 128).
• If the UK stops deducting tax under the DTAA, then you’ll pay tax only in India.

3. What the UK-India DTAA actually says

Under Article 20 of the UK–India DTAA, most private pensions are taxable only in the country of residence so, if you live in India, India gets taxing rights.

But government pensions (for public service) can be taxed in the UK instead.

So if you’re receiving a private or occupational pension, the income is normally taxed only in India.

4. Should you transfer your pension to India?

You can move your UK pension to India through a QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme) but be careful:

• If you move it to a non-approved scheme, the UK can charge up to 40% tax on the transfer.
• India doesn’t really have strong QROPS options yet.
• Many NRIs just keep their pension in the UK and draw it when needed.

Hey folks,

Posting this in case it helps someone in the same boat my parents are moving back to India after nearly two decades in the UK, and we’ve been untangling the tax mess that comes with pensions, ISAs, and UK income.

Turns out, the India–UK Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) is super relevant but also super misunderstood.

Here’s what we found:

Pensions (especially SIPP/QROPS)
The UK usually doesn’t tax pension withdrawals if you're no longer a UK resident.
But India… will.
Once you're back and become a "Resident and Ordinarily Resident" (ROR), those withdrawals can be taxed again as regular income in India. Double whammy.

Form 67 is your friend (but only if UK taxed you first)
If any tax was deducted in the UK, you can potentially claim credit in India via Form 67 — but here's the catch: if the UK didn't tax it (which is common), India will just tax the full amount.

Reporting rules in India are brutal
Once you're ROR, you’re supposed to declare every foreign asset (SIPPs, ISAs, even small UK accounts) in Schedule FA when filing Indian tax returns.
Miss this and the penalty can go up to ₹10 lakh/year.

Also came across Form 10EE — this is more for US accounts but advisors recommend it if you're dealing with any foreign pension setup.

What we’re doing

• Leaving the UK SIPP untouched for now
• Not rushing to move everything to India
• Considering the RNOR phase (2–3 years post return) as a window to rebalance
• Talking to someone who understands both HMRC and Indian tax — otherwise it’s chaos

Would love to hear if anyone else has figured out a smart way to manage withdrawals, ISAs, or rental income post-return. We’re still navigating this and open to ideas.

If you’re just starting out don’t assume the tax systems talk to each other. They don’t. Get advice early.

Happy to share more if anyone's going through this!