Using NRO Account for ESOPs? Here's What NRIs Should Know

I'm a non-resident Indian (NRI) and work for an IT company abroad. I have been granted employee stock options (ESOPs) of the parent company in India, which are now vested. The exercise period starts from April 2025, and I plan to pay the exercise price from my Indian non-resident ordinary (NRO) account. Is this allowed, and will the payment be taxable because I am making it from an Indian account?

- Harshal Bhuta

—Name withheld on request

In the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), a non-resident Indian is allowed to make payments towards the exercise price for ESOPs, either by way of inward remittance or from repatriable sources (such as non-resident external and foreign currency non-resident accounts) or even from a non-repatriable rupee account (NRO account). Therefore, you can make the payment from your NRO account.