1. We have audited the accompanying standalonefinancial statements of Bata India Limited (“theCompany”), which comprise the StandaloneBalance Sheet as at March 31, 2026, theStandalone Statement of Profit and Loss(including Other Comprehensive Income), theStandalone Statement of Changes in Equity andthe Standalone Statement of Cash Flows for theyear then ended, and notes to the standalonefinancial statements, including materialaccounting policy information and otherexplanatory information.
2. In our opinion and to the best of our informationand according to the explanations given to us,the aforesaid standalone financial statementsgive the information required by the CompaniesAct, 2013 (“the Act”) in the manner so requiredand give a true and fair view in conformity withthe accounting principles generally accepted inIndia, of the state of affairs of the Company asat March 31, 2026, and total comprehensiveincome (comprising profit and othercomprehensive income), changes in equity andits cash flows for the year then ended.
Basis for Opinion
3. We conducted our audit in accordance with theStandards on Auditing (SAs) specified underSection 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilitiesunder those Standards are further described inthe “Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit ofthe Standalone Financial Statements” section ofour report. We are independent of the Companyin accordance with the Code of Ethics issued bythe Institute of Chartered Accountants of Indiatogether with the ethical requirements that arerelevant to our audit of the standalone financialstatements under the provisions of the Act andthe Rules thereunder, and we have fulfilled ourother ethical responsibilities in accordance withthese requirements and the Code of Ethics. Webelieve that the audit evidence we have obtainedis sufficient and appropriate to provide a basisfor our opinion.
Key audit matters
4. Key audit matters are those matters that, in ourprofessional judgement, were of mostsignificance in our audit of the standalonefinancial statements of the current period. Thesematters were addressed in the context of ouraudit of the standalone financial statements asa whole and in forming our opinion thereon, andwe do not provide a separate opinion on thesematters.
Key audit matter
How our audit addressed the key audit matter
Appropriateness of revenue recognition
See Note 1(e) and Note 18 to the standalone financialstatements
Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised whencontrol in goods is transferred to the customer andis measured net of rebates, discounts and returns.
A substantial part of Company's revenue relates toretail sales through a large number of Company-owned retail outlets across the country andcomprises high volume of transactions, whichcreates a risk of revenue being recognisedinappropriately. A robust process for recording salesrevenue is critical in order to mitigate risk of errorand fraud.
We performed the following audit procedures inrespect of revenue recognition:
• Evaluated the design and implementation of keyinternal financial controls with respect to therevenue recognition and tested the operatingeffectiveness of such controls including thoserelated to the reconciliation of sales records tocash/ credit card/ online receipts and bankdeposits, preparation, posting and approval ofjournal entries based on selected transactions.
• Assessed the appropriateness of the accountingpolicy for revenue recognition in accordancewith the applicable accounting standards.
In addition to the Company-owned retail outlets, theCompany generates revenue through non-retailbusiness and franchisee retail outlets.
Recognition of revenue requires determination ofthe net selling price after considering forecast ofsales returns (in case of contracts where thecustomer has a right to return) and discounts. Theestimate of sales returns and discounts depends onthe Company's return policy, contract terms, forecastof sales volumes and past history of quantum ofreturns.
Considering the above-mentioned factors,appropriateness of revenue recognition has beenconsidered as a key audit matter.
• In relation to the revenue from Company-ownedretail outlets, tested sales during the year on asample basis, by agreeing them with the cash /credit card / online receipts and bank deposits.
• In relation to the revenue from non-retailbusiness and franchisee retail outlets, testedsale transactions during the year on a samplebasis, by examining the underlying documentssuch as sales invoice, customer contracts,shipping/despatch documents along with proofof delivery, as applicable.
• Tested on a sample basis, the reconciliation ofthe revenue recognised during the period withthe sales as per indirect tax records.
• Evaluated the contract terms for a sample ofcustomer contracts to assess thereasonableness of refund liabilities for discountsand returns at the year end and determinewhether the same is in line with terms of thecontract.
• Evaluated the Company's policy for returns andperformed an analysis of trend for sales returnin case of contracts where the customer has aright to return and tested appropriateness ofthe refund liabilities for expected sales returnas at the year-end.
• Tested material non-standard manual journalentries impacting revenue in the year byunderstanding the rationale for the journal andagreeing to supporting documentation in orderto confirm that the adjustments to revenue frommaterial manual journal entries had beenappropriately recognised.
Determination of net realisable value (NRV) ofinventories of finished goods
See Note 1 (d), Note 1A(c) and Note 8 to thestandalone financial statements.
The Company's inventory of finished goods is spreadacross multiple locations comprising a large numberof retail stores, depots and factories across thecountry, which are counted by the Company on acyclical basis. The Company's goods (footwear andaccessories) are subject to changing consumerdemands and fashion trends and the net realisablevalue is determined by the Company based on
We performed the following audit procedures inrelation to the determination of NRV of finishedgoods:
• Evaluated the design and implementation of keyinternal financial controls with respect todetermination of NRV for slow and non-movinginventory as well as inventory with low ornegative gross margins and tested theoperating effectiveness of such controls onselected samples of transactions.
• Assessed the appropriateness of the accountingpolicy for inventory valuation as per theapplicable accounting standards.
significant management judgement, variousassumptions and estimates (including those relatedto obsolescence of slow and non-moving inventoryas well as inventory with low or negative grossmargins) as at the end of the reporting period.
In view of involvement of significant managementjudgement and significance of the carrying value ofinventory, this has been determined as a key auditmatter.
• Observed the management's physicalverification of inventory of finished goods on atest check basis at periodic interval, to assessthe existence and condition of the inventory.
• On a sample basis, tested whether items in theinventory ageing report prepared by theCompany were classified within the appropriateageing bracket.
• Assessed the appropriateness of themethodology adopted and assumptionsunderlying the management's assessment ofthe NRV of inventories of finished goods.
• Tested, on a sample basis, the net realisablevalue of inventories at the year-end bycomparing the carrying value with theirsubsequent selling prices and costs to sellsubsequent to the year-end.
Other Information
5. The Company's Board of Directors is responsiblefor the other information. The other informationcomprises the information included in the Annualreport, but does not include the financialstatements and our auditor's report thereon.
Our opinion on the standalone financialstatements does not cover the other informationand we do not express any form of assuranceconclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the standalonefinancial statements, our responsibility is to readthe other information and, in doing so, considerwhether the other information is materiallyinconsistent with the standalone financialstatements or our knowledge obtained in theaudit or otherwise appears to be materiallymisstated. If, based on the work we haveperformed, we conclude that there is a materialmisstatement of this other information, we arerequired to report that fact. We have nothing toreport in this regard.
Responsibilities of management and those chargedwith governance for the standalone financialstatements
6. The Company's Board of Directors is responsiblefor the matters stated in Section 134(5) of the
Act with respect to the preparation of thesestandalone financial statements that give a trueand fair view of the standalone financial position,standalone financial performance, standalonechanges in equity and standalone cash flows ofthe Company in accordance with the accountingprinciples generally accepted in India, includingthe Indian Accounting Standards specified underSection 133 of the Act. This responsibility alsoincludes maintenance of adequate accountingrecords in accordance with the provisions of theAct for safeguarding of the assets of theCompany and for preventing and detectingfrauds and other irregularities; selection andapplication of appropriate accounting policies;making judgments and estimates that arereasonable and prudent; and design,implementation and maintenance of adequateinternal financial controls, that were operatingeffectively for ensuring the accuracy andcompleteness of the accounting records,relevant to the preparation and presentation ofthe standalone financial statements that give atrue and fair view and are free from materialmisstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
7. In preparing the standalone financial statements,Board of Directors is responsible for assessingthe Company's ability to continue as a goingconcern, disclosing, as applicable, matters
related to going concern and using the goingconcern basis of accounting unless Board ofDirectors either intends to liquidate theCompany or to cease operations, or has norealistic alternative but to do so.
8. Those Board of Directors are also responsiblefor overseeing the Company's financial reportingprocess.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the
Standalone Financial Statements
9. Our objectives are to obtain reasonableassurance about whether the standalonefinancial statements as a whole are free frommaterial misstatement, whether due to fraud orerror, and to issue an auditor's report thatincludes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is ahigh level of assurance but is not a guaranteethat an audit conducted in accordance with SAswill always detect a material misstatement whenit exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud orerror and are considered material if, individuallyor in the aggregate, they could reasonably beexpected to influence the economic decisionsof users taken on the basis of these standalonefinancial statements.
10. As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, weexercise professional judgement and maintainprofessional scepticism throughout the audit. Wealso:
• Identify and assess the risks of materialmisstatement of the standalone financialstatements, whether due to fraud or error,design and perform audit proceduresresponsive to those risks, and obtain auditevidence that is sufficient and appropriateto provide a basis for our opinion. The riskof not detecting a material misstatementresulting from fraud is higher than for oneresulting from error, as fraud may involvecollusion, forgery, intentional omissions,misrepresentations, or the override ofinternal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal controlrelevant to the audit in order to design auditprocedures that are appropriate in thecircumstances. Under Section 143(3)(i) ofthe Act, we are also responsible for
expressing our opinion on whether theCompany has adequate internal financialcontrols with reference to standalonefinancial statements in place and theoperating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accountingpolicies used and the reasonableness ofaccounting estimates and relateddisclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness ofmanagement's use of the going concernbasis of accounting and, based on the auditevidence obtained, whether a materialuncertainty exists related to events orconditions that may cast significant doubton the Company's ability to continue as agoing concern. If we conclude that a materialuncertainty exists, we are required to drawattention in our auditor's report to therelated disclosures in the standalonefinancial statements or, if such disclosuresare inadequate, to modify our opinion. Ourconclusions are based on the audit evidenceobtained up to the date of our auditor'sreport. However, future events or conditionsmay cause the Company to cease tocontinue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structureand content of the standalone financialstatements, including the disclosures, andwhether the standalone financial statementsrepresent the underlying transactions andevents in a manner that achieves fairpresentation.
11. We communicate with those charged withgovernance regarding, among other matters, theplanned scope and timing of the audit andsignificant audit findings, including anysignificant deficiencies in internal control thatwe identify during our audit.
12. We also provide those charged with governancewith a statement that we have complied withrelevant ethical requirements regardingindependence, and to communicate with themall relationships and other matters that mayreasonably be thought to bear on ourindependence, and where applicable, relatedsafeguards.
13. From the matters communicated with thosecharged with governance, we determine thosematters that were of most significance in theaudit of the standalone financial statements ofthe current period and are therefore the keyaudit matters. We describe these matters in ourauditor's report unless law or regulationprecludes public disclosure about the matter orwhen, in extremely rare circumstances, wedetermine that a matter should not becommunicated in our report because theadverse consequences of doing so wouldreasonably be expected to outweigh the publicinterest benefits of such communication.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
14. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report)Order, 2020 (“the Order”), issued by the CentralGovernment of India in terms of sub-section (11)of Section 143 of the Act, we give in the AnnexureB a statement on the matters specified inparagraphs 3 and 4 of the Order, to the extentapplicable.
15. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, wereport that:
(a) We have sought and obtained all theinformation and explanations which to thebest of our knowledge and belief werenecessary for the purposes of our audit.
(b) In our opinion, proper books of account asrequired by law have been kept by theCompany so far as it appears from ourexamination of those books, except for thematters stated in paragraph 15(h)(vi) belowon reporting under Rule 11(g) of theCompanies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014(as amended).
(c) The Standalone Balance Sheet, theStandalone Statement of Profit and Loss(including other comprehensive income), theStandalone Statement of Changes in Equityand the Standalone Statement of Cash Flowsdealt with by this Report are in agreementwith the books of account.
(d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalonefinancial statements comply with the IndianAccounting Standards specified underSection 133 of the Act.
(e) On the basis of the written representationsreceived from the directors as on March 31,2026, taken on record by the Board ofDirectors, none of the directors isdisqualified as on March 31, 2026, from beingappointed as a director in terms of Section164(2) of the Act.
(f) With respect to the maintenance of accountsand other matters connected therewith,reference is made to our remarks inparagraph 15(b) above on reporting underSection 143(3)(b) and paragraph 15(h)(vi)below on reporting under Rule 11(g) of theCompanies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014(as amended).
(g) With respect to the adequacy of the internalfinancial controls with reference tostandalone financial statements of theCompany and the operating effectivenessof such controls, refer to our separate Reportin “Annexure A”.
(h) With respect to the other matters to beincluded in the Auditor's Report inaccordance with Rule 11 of the Companies(Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014 (asamended), in our opinion and to the best ofour information and according to theexplanations given to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impactof pending litigations on its standalonefinancial position in its standalonefinancial statements - Refer Note 17band Note 29(A) to the standalonefinancial statements;
ii. The Company was not required torecognise a provision as at March 31,2026 under the applicable law or IndianAccounting Standards, as it does nothave any material foreseeable losses onlong-term contract. The Company didnot have any long term derivativecontracts as at March 31, 2026.
iii. There has been no delay in transferringamounts, required to be transferred, tothe Investor Education and ProtectionFund by the Company during the year.
iv. (a) The management has representedthat, to the best of its knowledgeand belief, as disclosed in Note 38(v)to the standalone financialstatements, no funds have beenadvanced or loaned or invested(either from borrowed funds orshare premium or any other sourcesor kind of funds) by the Companyto or in any other person(s) orentity(ies), including foreign entities(“Intermediaries”), with theunderstanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that theIntermediary shall, whether directlyor indirectly, lend or invest in otherpersons or entities identified in anymanner whatsoever by or on behalfof the Company (“UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide anyguarantee, security or the like onbehalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries;
(b) The management has representedthat, to the best of its knowledgeand belief, as disclosed in the Note38(vi) to the standalone financialstatements, no funds have beenreceived by the Company from anyperson(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities (“Funding Parties”),with the understanding, whetherrecorded in writing or otherwise,that the Company shall, whetherdirectly or indirectly, lend or investin other persons or entitiesidentified in any manner whatsoeverby or on behalf of the Funding Party(“Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provideany guarantee, security or the likeon behalf of the UltimateBeneficiaries; and
(c) Based on such audit procedures thatwe considered reasonable andappropriate in the circumstances,nothing has come to our notice thathas caused us to believe that therepresentations under sub-clause(a) and (b) contain any materialmisstatement.
v. The dividend declared and paid by theCompany during the year in respect ofthe prior year ended March 31, 2025 isin accordance with Section 123 of theAct to the extent it applies to declarationand payment of dividend.
As stated in Note 26 to the standalonefinancial statements, the Board ofDirectors of the Company has proposedfinal dividend for the year which issubject to the approval of the membersat the ensuing Annual General Meeting,and is in accordance with Section 123 ofthe Act to the extent applicable.
vi. Based on our examination, whichincluded test checks, the Company hasused one core and multiple supportsoftware for maintaining its books ofaccount, which have a feature ofrecording audit trail (edit log) facilityand that has operated throughout theyear for all relevant transactionsrecorded in the software, except for thefollowing instances:
1. Audit trail feature was not availablefor one supporting accountingsoftware;
2. With respect to direct databasechanges for one core accountingsoftware, in the absence ofadequate evidence of necessarycontrols and documentation, we areunable to comment on the audit trailfeature; and
3. Audit trail does not contain logs forall information related to anymodification maintained atdatabase level for all otheraccounting software.
During the course of performing our procedures,except for the aforesaid instances of audit trailnot being maintained at application anddatabase levels where the question of ourcommenting on whether the audit trail has beentampered with does not arise, we did not noticeany instance of audit trail feature being tampered
with. Further, the audit trail, to the extentmaintained in the prior years, has been preservedas per the statutory requirements for recordretention.
16. The Company has paid/ provided for managerialremuneration in accordance with the requisiteapprovals mandated by the provisions of Section197 read with Schedule V to the Act.
For Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLPFirm Registration Number: 012754N/N500016
Rajib ChatterjeePartner
Membership Number: 057134UDIN: 26057134GNGEPR3547
Place: KolkataDate: May 27, 2026