Overview of Significant Differences between International Financial

Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Indian GAAP

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TOPICS COVERED IN OUR SESSION

Differences with respect to:

Conceptual Accounting Framework

Content of Financial Statements
Accounting Differences
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ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK
Historical cost

IFRS:
Historical cost, but intangible assets, property plant and equipment (PPE) and
investment property may be revalued. Derivatives, biological assets and most
securities must be revalued.

Indian GAAP:
Historical cost, but fixed assets, other than intangibles, may be revalued.

 
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ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK
First-time adoption of accounting frameworks

IFRS:
Full retrospective application of all IFRS’s effective at the reporting date for
an entity’s first IFRS financial statements, with some optional exemptions and
limited mandatory exceptions.

Indian GAAP:
The accounting standard on Disclosure of Accounting Policies addresses the
issue of adoption of accounting policies. Also, particular standards specify the
transitional treatment upon the first-time application of those standards
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Contents of financial statements

IFRS:
Two years’ balance sheets, income statements, cash-flow statements,
changes in equity, accounting policies and notes.

Indian GAAP:
Two years’ balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, accounting policies and
notes. Listed entities are required to give their consolidated financial
statements and the related notes along with the standalone financial
statements. (Financial Statements should also include cash flow statements
in certain cases)
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS- Balance Sheet

IFRS:
Does not prescribe a particular format; an entity uses a liquidity presentation
of assets and liabilities, instead of a current/non-current presentation, only
when a liquidity presentation provides more relevant and reliable information.
Certain items must be presented on the face of the balance sheet

Indian GAAP:
The Indian Companies Act and other industry-specific laws like banking,
insurance, etc. specify respective formats
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Income Statements
IFRS
Does not prescribe a particular format. However, expenditure must be presented in
one of two formats (function or nature). Certain items must be presented on the face
of the income statement.
Indian GAAP
The Indian Companies Act does not prescribe a particular format. The Company law
and accounting standards however, prescribes certain disclosure norms for income
and expenditures. For certain industries, industry specific laws specify formats.
Reporting currency
IFRS:
Requires the measurement of profit using the functional currency. Entities may,
however, present financial statements in a different currency.
 Indian GAAP:
Schedule VI to the Companies Act, 1956 specifies Indian Rupees as the reporting
currency.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 Statement of changes in shareholders’ equity

IFRS:
Statement showing capital transactions with owners, the movement in
accumulated profit and a reconciliation of all other components of equity. The
statement must be presented as a primary statement.
Indian GAAP:
Changes in shareholders’ equity are disclosed by way of a schedule.

 Statement of recognised gains and losses / Other comprehensive income

IFRS:
Give a statement of recognised gains and losses either as a separate primary
statement or highlight it separately in the primary statement of changes in
shareholder’s equity
Indian GAAP:
Not prescribed
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Accounting Differences

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP

Special purposes entities Consolidate where the No specific guidance.
(SPEs) substance of the relationship
indicates control.

Non-consolidation of Dissimilar activities or Only if acquired and held for

subsidiaries temporary control are not a resale or there are severe long-
justification for non- term restrictions to transfer funds
consolidation. to the parent.

Business combinations All business combinations are No comprehensive accounting

acquisitions. standard on business
combinations. All business
combinations are acquisition;
however, required use of pooling
of interests method in certain
amalgamations [when all the
specified conditions are met]. To
summarize: On consolidation, for
an entity acquired and held as an
investment: treated as acquisition.
On amalgamation of an entity,
either uniting of interests or
acquisition. On business
acquisition (i.e. assets and
liabilities only) treated as
acquisition.
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Accounting Differences

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP

Uniting of interests Prohibited. Required for certain
method amalgamations when all the
specified conditions are met, else
accounted under the purchase
method.
Acquired intangible Capitalise if recognition criteria Capitalise if recognition criteria
assets are met; intangible assets must are met; intangible assets must
be amortised over useful life. be amortised over useful life with
Intangibles assigned an a rebuttable presumption of not
indefinite useful life must not be exceeding 10 years.
amortised but reviewed annually
for impairment. Revaluations are Revaluations not permitted.
permitted in rare circumstances.
Property, plant and Use historical cost or revalued Use historical cost. Revaluations
equipment amounts. Regular valuations of are permitted, however, no
entire classes of assets are requirement on frequency of
required when revaluation option revaluation. On revaluation, an
is chosen. entire class of assets is revalued,
or selection of assets is made on
a systematic basis.
Depreciation Allocated on a systematic basis Similar to IFRS, except where the
to each accounting period over useful life is shorter than that
the useful life of the asset. envisaged under the Companies
Act or the relevant statute, the
depreciation is computed by
applying a higher rate.
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Accounting Differences

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP

Deferred income taxes Use full provision method (some Recognise tax effect of timing
exceptions) driven by balance difference as deferred tax asset
sheet temporary differences. or liability. Recognise deferred
Recognise deferred tax assets if tax assets (a) for entities with tax
recovery is probable. losses carry forward, if realisation
is virtually certain, whereas (b) for
entities with no tax losses carry
forward, if realisation is
reasonably certain. A number of
other specific differences.
Fringe benefits tax Included as part of related Disclosed as a separate item after
expense (fringe benefit) which profit before tax on the face of the
gives rise to incurrence of the income statement.
tax.

Convertible debt Account for convertible debt on Convertible debt is recognised as

split basis, allocating proceeds a liability based on legal form
between equity and debt without any split.

Functional currency Currency of primary economic Does not define functional

environment in which entity currency.
operates.
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Accounting Differences

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP

Compensated absences Provision on actual cost to the Provision based on actuarial
company basis valuation

Preliminary expenses Charged to income statement. Deferred and written off over the
period of 5 years.

loans Origination Cost Origination cost is amortized Charged to Profit and loss
account

Financial liabilities - Mandatory redeemable All preference shares are

classification preference shares are classified classified as shareholders’ funds.
as liabilities.

Employee benefits Must use the projected unit Provision in the accounts is
-Pension costs defined credit method to determine normally made on the basis of
benefit plans benefit obligation actuarial valuation – no specific
method is prescribed
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Accounting Differences Contd……

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP
Depreciation Allocated on a systematic basis Depreciation is provided based on the useful
to each accounting period over lives of assets or the minimum rates
the useful life of the asset. prescribed by the Indian Companies Act,
whichever is higher. Asset lives are not
prescribed by the Companies Act, but can be
derived from the depreciation rates.

Capitalisation of Permitted, but not required for Compulsory when relates to the construction
borrowing costs qualifying assets. of certain assets.

Foreign exchange Under IAS such gains or losses Indian GAAP requires that any profit/loss
fluctuation are required to be expensed arising on the restatement of foreign
exchange liabilities incurred for the
acquisition of imported fixed assets as a
result of change in exchange rates is
capitalized as part of the original cost of the
assets.
Impairment of IAS require that assets be Indian GAAP also has adopted the provisions
long lived assets reviewed for impairment and of IFRS with effect from 1.4 2004 for listed
impairment losses recognized in companies and commercial enterprise with a
the accounts turnover > 50 crores

Leasehold Land Disclosed as prepaid assets Disclosed as a part of fixed assets.

and accounting treatment is
similar to operating leases.
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Accounting Differences Contd….

Subject IFRS Indian GAAP
Changes in Restate comparatives and prior- Include effect in the income statement
accounting year opening retained earnings. of the period in which the change is
policies made except as specified in certain
standards where the change resulting
from adoption of the standard has to be
adjusted against opening retained
earnings.
Correction of Restatement of comparatives is Include effect in the current year
fundamental mandatory. income statement with appropriate
errors disclosure

Deferred Taxes Use full provision method (some Deferred tax assets and liabilities
exceptions), driven by balance should be recognised for all timing
sheet temporary differences. differences subject to consideration of
Recognise deferred tax assets if prudence in respect of deferred tax
recovery is probable. assets.
Lease Accounting Has been in place for a much Applicable since 2001
longer time.
Asset Retirement Obligations that are legally No such guidance available.
Obligation (ARO) enforceable and unavoidable, and
are associated with the retirement
of tangible long-lived assets, be
recorded as liabilities when those
obligations are incurred and
recorded at fair value.
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Accounting Differences - Investments

Investments:
 IFRS:
Depends on the classification of investment – if held to maturity or loan or
receivable, then carry at amortised cost, otherwise at fair value. Unrealised
gains/losses on fair value through profit or loss classification (including trading
securities) recognised in the income statement and on available-for-sale
investments recognised in equity.**
 Indian GAAP:
Carry long-term investments at cost (with provision for other than temporary
diminution in value). Current investments carried at lower of cost or fair value
determined on individual basis or by category of investment but not on overall (or
global) basis. Specific guidance exists for banking industry.
**There is an option in IFRS to classify any financial asset ‘at fair value through
profit or loss’. Changes in fair values in respect of such securities are recognized
in the income statement. It must be noted that it is an irrevocable option to
classify a financial asset at fair value through profit or loss.
Derivatives and other financial instruments - Measurement of derivative
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instruments and hedging activities

IFRS:
Measure derivatives and hedge instrument at fair value. Recognise the
changes in fair value in the income statement, except for effective cash flow
hedges, where the changes are deferred in equity until effect of the
underlying transaction is recognised in the income statement.
Gains / losses on hedge instrument used to hedge forecast transaction,
included in the cost of asset/liability (basis adjustment).

Indian GAAP:
No comprehensive guidelines currently. Accounting treatment for forward
contracts and equity index and equity stock futures and option is prescribed.
Guidance prescribed for banking companies.