We have audited the financial statements of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited (“the Company”), which comprisethe Balance sheet as at March 31, 2025, the Statement ofProfit and Loss, including the statement of OtherComprehensive Income, the Cash Flow Statement and theStatement of Changes in Equity for the year then ended,and notes to the financial statements, including asummary of material accounting policies and otherexplanatory information.
In our opinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us, the aforesaidfinancial statements give the information required by theCompanies Act, 2013, as amended (“the Act”) in themanner so required and give a true and fair view inconformity with the accounting principles generallyaccepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company asat March 31, 2025, its profit including other comprehensiveincome, its cash flows and the changes in equity for theyear ended on that date.
We conducted our audit of the financial statements inaccordance with the Standards on Auditing (SAs), as specifiedunder section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities underthose Standards are further described in the ‘Auditor’sResponsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements’section of our report. We are independent of the Company inaccordance with the ‘Code of Ethics’ issued by the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of India together with the ethicalrequirements that are relevant to our audit of the financialstatements under the provisions of the Act and the Rulesthereunder, and we have fulfilled our other ethicalresponsibilities in accordance with these requirements andthe Code of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidence wehave obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basisfor our audit opinion on the financial statements.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professionaljudgment, were of most significance in our audit of thefinancial statements for the Financial Year ended March 31,2025. These matters were addressed in the context of ouraudit of the financial statements as a whole, and in formingour opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separateopinion on these matters. For each matter below, ourdescription of how our audit addressed the matter isprovided in that context.
We have determined the matters described below to be thekey audit matters to be communicated in our report. Wehave fulfilled the responsibilities described in the Auditor’sresponsibilities for the audit of the financial statementssection of our report, including in relation to these matters.Accordingly, our audit included the performance ofprocedures designed to respond to our assessment of therisks of material misstatement of the financial statements.The results of our audit procedures, including theprocedures performed to address the matters below,provide the basis for our audit opinion on theaccompanying financial statements.
Key audit matters
How our audit addressed the key audit matter
Revenue recognition (as described in Note 25 of the financial statements)
Revenue from the sale of goods is measurednet off discounts and rebates that are given tothe customers (i.e., to the Wholesale tradersand Retail traders) as a part of sales promotion,comprising of primary and secondaryschemes.
Of the total discounts and rebates passed onto the customers, certain discounts andrebates are passed on to the customers on thebasis of secondary sales made by customersi.e., secondary schemes.
Significant judgement is required in estimatingaccruals relating to secondary schemesrecognized, based on sales made during theyear.
Our audit procedures included the following:
• Assessing the appropriateness of the Company's revenuerecognition accounting policies including those relating todiscounts and rebates for primary and secondary sales.
• Obtained an understanding, assessed and tested the operatingeffectiveness of internal control relating to the identification,recognition and measurement of discounts and rebates forsecondary schemes.
• Tested on sample basis, the underlying documentation andassumptions, for discount and rebate provisions accrued duringthe year in relation to secondary sales.
• Tested on sample basis, the subsequent claims accounted bythe Company, to assess the adequacy and appropriateness ofaccruals outstanding as at year end.
• Performed an analysis between historical accrual and actualexpenses incurred for the previous periods.
• Obtained reasons from management to ascertain reasonablenessin relation to ageing of outstanding accruals and verifiedsubsequent settlement of provisions
• We assessed the adequacy of the disclosures in respect ofrevenue to be disclosed as per Ind AS 115.
Contingent liabilities / provisions in relation to tax Litigations (as described in Note 24(A), and 31(d) and 31(e) and 32of the Financial statements)
The Company has received various demandorders and notices under various tax lawswhich the Company is contesting. In caseswhere the outflow of resources embodyingeconomic benefits is probable, the Companyhas made provision and in cases whereoutflow of resources embodying economicbenefits is possible, then such items aredisclosed as contingent liabilities.
Significant judgements and estimates arerequired to assess impact of these litigationson the financial position, results of operationsand cash flows.
• Obtained an understanding, assessed and tested the internalcontrol environment relating to the identification, recognitionand measurement of provisions for disputes and disclosures ofcontingent liabilities in relation to tax litigations.
• Obtained details of completed tax assessments and demandsissued by tax authorities, from the management.
• Read the orders/notices received from tax authorities and helddiscussion with management to understand management'sassessment of the quantification and likelihood of significantexposures and the provision required for specific cases.
• We engaged our tax specialists to evaluate the current status oftax assessments and management's position in relation to on¬going disputes with regard to likelihood assessment ofeconomic outflow by the management.
• Analysed the management's estimates related to the recognizedprovisions for disputes and disclosures of contingent liabilitiesin relation to tax litigations and uncertain tax positions in thefinancial statements.
The Company’s Board of Directors is responsible for theother information. The other information comprises theinformation included in the Annual report, but does notinclude the financial statements and our auditor’s reportthereon.
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover theother information and we do not express any form ofassurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, ourresponsibility is to read the other information and, in doingso, consider whether such other information is materiallyinconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledgeobtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materiallymisstated. If, based on the work we have performed, weconclude that there is a material misstatement of this otherinformation, we are required to report that fact. We havenothing to report in this regard.
The Company’s Board of Directors is responsible for thematters stated in section 134(5) of the Act with respect tothe preparation of these financial statements that give a trueand fair view of the financial position, financial performanceincluding other comprehensive income, cash flows andchanges in equity of the Company in accordance with theaccounting principles generally accepted in India, includingthe Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) specified undersection 133 of the Act read with the Companies (IndianAccounting Standards) Rules, 2015, as amended. Thisresponsibility also includes maintenance of adequateaccounting records in accordance with the provisions of theAct for safeguarding of the assets of the Company and forpreventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities;selection and application of appropriate accounting policies;making judgments and estimates that are reasonable andprudent; and the design, implementation and maintenanceof adequate internal financial controls, that were operatingeffectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness ofthe accounting records, relevant to the preparation andpresentation of the financial statements that give a true andfair view and are free from material misstatement, whetherdue to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management isresponsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue
as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters relatedto going concern and using the going concern basis ofaccounting unless management either intends to liquidatethe Company or to cease operations, or has no realisticalternative but to do so.
Those Board of Directors are also responsible for overseeingthe Company’s financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance aboutwhether the financial statements as a whole are free frommaterial misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and toissue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion.Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not aguarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with SAswill always detect a material misstatement when it exists.Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and areconsidered material if, individually or in the aggregate, theycould reasonably be expected to influence the economicdecisions of users taken on the basis of these financialstatements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgment and maintain professional skepticismthroughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement ofthe financial statements, whether due to fraud or error,design and perform audit procedures responsive tothose risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficientand appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Therisk of not detecting a material misstatement resultingfrom fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, asfraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentionalomissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internalcontrol.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant tothe audit in order to design audit procedures that areappropriate in the circumstances. Under section 143(3)(i)of the Act, we are also responsible for expressing ouropinion on whether the Company has adequate internalfinancial controls with reference to financial statementsin place and the operating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand the reasonableness of accounting estimates andrelated disclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s useof the going concern basis of accounting and, based onthe audit evidence obtained, whether a materialuncertainty exists related to events or conditions thatmay cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability tocontinue as a going concern. If we conclude that amaterial uncertainty exists, we are required to drawattention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosuresin the financial statements or, if such disclosures areinadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions arebased on the audit evidence obtained up to the date ofour auditor’s report. However, future events orconditions may cause the Company to cease to continueas a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and contentof the financial statements, including the disclosures,and whether the financial statements represent theunderlying transactions and events in a manner thatachieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scope andtiming of the audit and significant audit findings, includingany significant deficiencies in internal control that weidentify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with astatement that we have complied with relevant ethicalrequirements regarding independence, and to communicatewith them all relationships and other matters that mayreasonably be thought to bear on our independence, andwhere applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the financial statements for theFinancial Year ended March 31, 2025 and are therefore thekey audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’sreport unless law or regulation precludes public disclosureabout the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances,we determine that a matter should not be communicated inour report because the adverse consequences of doing sowould reasonably be expected to outweigh the publicinterest benefits of such communication.
1. As required by the Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order,2020 (“the Order”), issued by the Central Governmentof India in terms of sub-section (11) of section 143 of the
Act, we give in the “Annexure I” a statement on the
matters specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Order.
2. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, we report to
the extent applicable, that:
(a) We have sought and obtained all the informationand explanations which to the best of ourknowledge and belief were necessary for thepurposes of our audit;
(b) In our opinion, proper books of account as requiredby law have been kept by the Company so far as itappears from our examination of those books anddaily back up of such books of accounts have beenmaintained on servers physically located in India;
(c) The Balance Sheet, the Statement of Profit and Lossincluding the Statement of Other ComprehensiveIncome, the Cash Flow Statement and Statement ofChanges in Equity dealt with by this Report are inagreement with the books of account;
(d) In our opinion, the aforesaid financial statementscomply with the Accounting Standards specifiedunder Section 133 of the Act, read with Companies(Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015, asamended;
(e) On the basis of the written representations receivedfrom the directors as on March 31, 2025 taken onrecord by the Board of Directors, none of thedirectors is disqualified as on March 31, 2025 frombeing appointed as a director in terms of Section164 (2) of the Act;
(f) With respect to the adequacy of the internalfinancial controls with reference to these financialstatements and the operating effectiveness of suchcontrols, refer to our separate Report in “AnnexureII” to this report;
(g) In our opinion, the managerial remuneration forthe year ended March 31, 2025 has been paid /provided by the Company to its directors inaccordance with the provisions of section 197 readwith Schedule V to the Act.
(h) With respect to the other matters to be included inthe Auditor’s Report in accordance with Rule 11 ofthe Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014, asamended in our opinion and to the best of ourinformation and according to the explanationsgiven to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact ofpending litigations on its financial position inits financial statements - Refer Note 32 and 33to the financial statements;
ii. The Company did not have any long-termcontracts including derivative contracts forwhich there were any material foreseeablelosses;
iii. There has been no delay in transferringamounts, required to be transferred, to theInvestor Education and Protection Fund by theCompany;
iv. a) The management has represented that, to
the best of its knowledge and belief nofunds have been advanced or loaned orinvested (either from borrowed funds orshare premium or any other sources orkind of funds) by the Company to or inany other person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities (“Intermediaries”), with theunderstanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that the Intermediaryshall, whether, directly or indirectly lend orinvest in other persons or entitiesidentified in any manner whatsoever by oron behalf of the Company (“UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries;
b) The management has represented that, tothe best of its knowledge and belief nofunds have been received by the Companyfrom any person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities (“Funding Parties”), withthe understanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that the Company
shall, whether, directly or indirectly, lend orinvest in other persons or entities identifiedin any manner whatsoever by or onbehalf of the Funding Party (“UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries; and
c) Based on such audit procedures performedthat have been considered reasonable andappropriate in the circumstances, nothinghas come to our notice that has caused usto believe that the representations undersub-clause (a) and (b) contain any materialmisstatement.
v. The interim dividend declared and paid by theCompany during the year and until the date ofthis audit report is in accordance with section123 of the Act.
vi. Based on our examination which included testchecks, the Company has used accountingsoftware for maintaining its books of accountwhich has a feature of recording audit trail (editlog) facility and the same has operatedthroughout the year for all relevant transactionsrecorded in the software. Further, during thecourse of our audit we did not come across anyinstance of audit trail feature being tampered.Additionally, the audit trail of prior years hasbeen preserved by the Company as per thestatutory requirements for record retention tothe extent it was enabled and recorded in therespective years.
For S R B C & CO LLP
Chartered Accountants
ICAI Firm Registration Number: 324982E/E300003
per Pritesh Maheshwari
Partner
Membership Number: 118746
UDIN: 25118746BMOLEA3221
Place of Signature: Mumbai
Date: May 21, 2025