Bengaluru entrepreneur says ₹4 crore in taxes made him quit ‘building in India’ dream; vows to leave in 2026

Amid a growing trend of Indian businesspersons opting to settle abroad, a Bengaluru entrepreneur has shared that he will be leaving India due to the country's taxation rules, which he alleges treat taxpayers with suspicion.

In a post on LinkedIn, Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Rohit Shroff said that he has paid around ₹4 crore in taxes in terms of GST and income tax “to a country that looks at its most compliant contributors with suspicion by default”.

He complained that tax-compliant citizens are targeted in India, without providing any evidence to back his claim.

“In India, barely 4–5% of the population pays income tax. And yet, when notices are sent, clarifications raised, and scrutiny intensified, the same small group keeps getting targeted. The compliant. The ones already inside the system,” Shroff claimed.

He described this scrutiny as “constant and layered”, with GST teams and income tax authorities leading the process, even as compliant businesses get no acknowledgement or benefits.

“They hire teams to file GST every month, TDS every quarter, and income tax every year. Fighting the system costs more than submitting to it, so most don’t resist. They pay, respond, and move on,” Shroff wrote.

“At some point, a reasonable question emerges: what’s the point?” he asked, and immediately said that the answer lies in incentives.

Rohit Shroff, a partner at content marketing platform Aflog Group, claimed that India's tax system wins confidence of the majority and leaves behind the minority group that “thinks commercially, builds formally, and pays consistently”.

“People like us are spread thin across the country, politically insignificant, and therefore easy to ignore or extract from,” he said.

Entrepreneur to leave India?

Rohit Shroff said that when Indians leave India, it's not because they hate the country.

“Indians don’t lack capability. They run large businesses across the UAE, the US, and much of the world. When they leave, it isn’t because they hate the country. It’s because the system doesn’t reward growth. It penalises it. It slows it down,” he said.

The Bengaluru entrepreneur said he was done with the “building in India” dream and would like to move out by 2026 to build his business elsewhere.

“It hurts to say this, but at some point self-preservation matters more than slogans. This isn’t about patriotism. It’s about reality. The system is flawed. There is no real development, and there is no genuine ease of doing business here.”

‘Not about me, but about systemic abuse’

When Livemint reached out to Rohit Shroff, he clarified that his post was never about leaving India but the alleged ‘systemic’ tax abuse in the country.

“It’s not about the fact that I’ve paid taxes. But the systematic problem that - individuals and companies that pay taxes are looked at with suspicion. 4-5% of India pays tax, and it’s a systematic issue. 10% of turnovers get stuck in TDS. Yet we’re scrutinised with fines, notices etc The 95% that don’t file income tax, are the masses who in return get benefits because they’re the vote bank,” he told Livemint over a LinkedIn conversation.

“It’s not about me leaving. It’s about me ranting about how unfair it feels for an entrepreneur,” Shroff said, adding, “It isn’t about me. It’s about systematic abuse. That’s why so many people came out and spoke up.”

Online debate ensues

Rohit Shroff's LinkedIn post triggered a debate online, as many people resonated with his views while others cried foul in the comments.

“1000% agree with you. As an entrepreneur there are more ways the system can penalize/prosecute you than there are ways to reward you. Every business is always seen in suspicious light and it gets incredibly tough to justify time and again,” one person said.

“I moved back to India in 2019 believing the system had changed and would keep improving. I’m now certain it hasn’t. It’s designed to clip your wings, not help you fly, and eventually ambition must learn to leave,” another user agreed.

However, a few others countered Shroff's allegations and opinions.

“This is absolute BS. I have been running a business for last 9 years. Not one IT notice. Not one GST notice. Why? Because I am fully compliant. I pay my taxes on time. I keep all records in order. I file returns on time. Leaving India is a personal choice and all the best to you for your new life. But do not blame the country for your decision,” a person commented.