Finance Secretary TV Somanathan noted that “approximately Rs 8,100 crore was collected so far” in the form of retrospective tax, “which includes over Rs 7,000 crore collected from Cairn UK”.

An international court of arbitration had in September last year refused India’s claim of Rs 22,100 crore worth of back taxes and penalties. Instead, it ordered that the government must cease seeking dues from Vodafone and pay back Rs 45 crore of tax levy, as partial compensation for its legal costs.

The initial demand from the tax authorities back in January 2013 was Rs 14,200 crore, including principal tax of Rs 7,990 crore and interest but no penalties. In February 2016, it updated the tax demand to Rs 22,100 crore plus interest.

The proceedings are currently ongoing in a senior court in Singapore with the next hearing set to take place in September. After the previous court order, India had sought to transfer the case elsewhere on jurisdictional grounds.

On the other hand, the government is seeking upwards of Rs 30,700 crore from British energy giant Cairn in penalties for its alleged failure to pay Rs 10,247 crore capital gains tax on time.

Last year, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague asked India to return $ 1.2 billion to Cairn, plus interest of $500 million.

Cairn had said losses incurred due to the government taking over its investments — including its equity shareholding, dividend receipts, tax refunds and preference share redemption — was more than $1.4 billion.