Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) requires the payer of specified incomes — such as professional fees, rent, contractor payments or salary — to deduct income tax at notified rates and deposit it with the government, issuing the payee a certificate. The payee then claims it against their tax liability.
TDS is separate from GST. Businesses must deduct, deposit and report TDS on time to avoid interest and penalties. There is also a GST-specific TDS for certain notified recipients.