Biography

Nishant Shah is a Senior Partner and co-heads the Tax practice at Economic Laws Practice (ELP), one of India’s foremost full-service law firms. A dual-qualified Lawyer and Chartered Accountant, Nishant brings over two decades of experience advising Indian and multinational corporations on the full spectrum of direct and indirect tax matters, with a particular focus on M&A taxation, cross-border structuring and international tax.

Nishant’s core practice centres on transactional and M&A tax advisory. He has advised on a wide range of inbound and outbound M&A transactions, joint ventures, private equity investments, and corporate reorganisations — including demergers, slump sales, and share swaps — structuring them in a tax-efficient manner within India’s complex regulatory framework. His experience spans the full deal lifecycle, from tax due diligence and structuring opinions through to SPA and SHA review, transfer pricing strategy and advance pricing agreement (APA) negotiations with Indian tax authorities.

On the international tax front, Nishant regularly advises on the application of India’s Double Tax Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs), BEPS-compliant holding structures, and the implications of the Pillar Two global minimum tax framework for Indian multinationals and foreign investors. He also advises on FEMA and RBI regulations in the context of cross-border investments and outbound structuring mandates.

Nishant has equally deep expertise in indirect taxation. He has assisted numerous multinationals in transitioning to the GST regime and continues to advise on GST optimisation, business model restructuring, and the indirect tax dimensions of M&A transactions. His pre-GST experience spans excise, customs, service tax, central sales tax, and the Foreign Trade Policy — a foundation that remains highly relevant in legacy dispute resolution.

Nishant is also a seasoned tax controversy practitioner. He represents clients in high-value direct tax disputes before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), High Courts, and the Supreme Court of India, and has been involved in Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) proceedings and bilateral APA negotiations across jurisdictions.

 Beyond client advisory, Nishant plays an active role in shaping India’s tax policy landscape. He leads the Tax Committee of a prominent Chamber of Commerce in India and is regularly invited by the Government of India to participate in expert committees and consultative groups on tax and regulatory reforms — giving him a unique vantage point at the intersection of policy and practice. He has also worked extensively with industry associations to make representations before Central and State Governments on tax reform and ease-of-doing-business initiatives.

 Nishant has advised clients across a broad range of sectors including Automotive, Engineering, Technology, Financial Services, Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Transportation, Logistics, and E-commerce. Prior to joining ELP, he held senior positions at KPMG and Deloitte.

 Rankings & Recognition : –

International Tax Review — Tax Controversy Leaders & Indirect Tax Leaders | Legal 500 Asia-Pacific

 Chambers & Partners — Recognised Practitioner | Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific — Litigation Star, Tax

Forbes India — Top 100 Lawyers in India