Now, a PAN for NRIs doing business here

MUMBAI: Non-residents with business transactions with Indian companies may soon be issued permanent account numbers (PAN), if the government decides to implement the recommendation of the working group on taxation of non-residents headed by Vijay Mathur, director-general (income tax) in charge of international taxation.
Currently PAN is issued only to Indian assessees. According to the working group, issuing PAN cards to non-residents is necessary because of the large number of non-residents who are taxed in India. Therefore, non-residents doing business with India companies should be required to obtain PAN.
In the case of non-residents who do not have a physical presence in India, this requirement may be waived.