'I'm Done': Entrepreneur Pays Rs 4 Crore Tax, Says 'It Hurts But I'll Move Out Of India In 2026'

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur sparked a debate on India's taxation system after publicly stating that he plans to move out of the country in 2026, alleging that the system penalises growing businesses instead of supporting them.

Rohit Shroff, founder and partner at content marketing platform Aflog Group, claimed that he has paid over around ₹4 crore in GST and income tax over the past 12 to 18 months. In a post on LinkedIn that has now gone viral, Rohit wrote, "I've paid over $500,000 — roughly ₹4 crore — to a country that looks at its most compliant contributors with suspicion by default."

‘Small Groups Targeted’

The entrepreneur added, “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. This scrutiny is constant and layered. Local GST teams. National income-tax clarifications. Zero acknowledgement, zero tangible benefits. Still, businesses comply.”

Pointing out how businesses choose to submit to the income tax system rather than fighting against it, Rohit said, “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.”

‘What’s The Point?'

Expressing his frustration with the “flawed” income tax system, Rohit said, “At some point, a reasonable question emerges: what’s the point?”

“The answer lies in incentives. The system is designed to win the confidence of the majority, not to enable the minority 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 added.

‘System Penalises Growth’

Drawing comparisons with Indian entrepreneurs who run successful businesses abroad, Shroff suggested that growth is encouraged in countries outside India. “Indians don’t lack capability. They run large businesses across the UAE, the US, and much of the world.”

He further said that Indians do not leave India because they hate the country, they move out because the system doesn’t reward growth. “It penalises it. It slows it down,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

‘I Am Done’

Vowing to leave India in 2026, Rohit said, 'I’m done. I’m done living the “building in India” dream. The goal for 2026 is simple: move out of the country and build elsewhere. It hurts to say this, but at some point self-preservation matters more than slogans."

Stressing that his decision was driven by “self-preservation” rather than a lack of patriotism, he said, “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.”

Social Media Reaction

His remarks triggered a strong response online, with many entrepreneurs echoing similar frustrations over frequent scrutiny, while others defended India’s tax framework, arguing that tax rates are reasonable and compliance protects businesses rather than victimising them.

Reacting to the post, HabitStrong Founder Rajan Singh said, “A friend was telling me that he was getting IT scrutiny every year. So he asked the IT officer, why? The officer said, there are so few people in Trivandrum who pay high taxes. So to meet their target, these are the people they have to target. It sounds weird but that's the reality -- they squeeze those who already pay a lot.”

Meanwhile, a senior manager at HDFC Bank, Anukool Saxena, was dissatisfied with Rohit Shroff's post and asked him to “grow up”.

Another man said, “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.”

Precision Mindset Co-founder Viren Joshi asked Rohit Shroff to stop with “the victim mindset” and said that most people handle these situations professionally and move on and do not complain on social media or talk about leaving the country. He added, “I live in South Mumbai, and I personally know people across industries who run profitable businesses here, from ₹20 lakh profit a year to ₹100 crore plus. Marketing, software, trading, manufacturing, bearings, you name it. Yes, compliance can be frustrating and there are occasional notices, but that is part of doing business everywhere.”

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