Tata Chemicals Limited
Report on the Audit of the Standalone FinancialStatements
Opinion
We have audited the Standalone Financial Statements of Tata Chemicals Limited (the "Company") which comprise the Standalone Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2024, and the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss (including Other Comprehensive Income), Standalone Statement of Changes in Equity and Standalone Statement of Cash Flows for the year then ended, and notes to the Standalone Financial Statements, including material accounting policies and other explanatory information.
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, the aforesaid Standalone Financial Statements give the information required by the Companies Act, 2013 ("Act") in the manner so required and give a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31,2024, and its Profit and Other Comprehensive Income, Changes in Equity and its Cash Flows for the year ended on that date.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with the Standards on Auditing (SAs) specified under Section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities under those SAs are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the Code of Ethics issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India together with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the Standalone Financial Statements under the provisions of the Act and the Rules thereunder, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the Code of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion on the Standalone Financial Statements.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the Standalone Financial Statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the Standalone Financial Statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
Description of Key Audit Matter
Revenue Recognition (See Note 2.14 and 23 to Standalone Financial Statements)
Impairment of Property, Plant and Equipment and Goodwill (See Note 2.3.2(e), 2.12, 4 and 7(b) to Standalone Financial Statements)
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The Key Audit Matter
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How the matter was addressed in our audit
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Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time by the Company by transferring the underlying products to the customer.
Revenue is measured based on transaction price, which is consideration, after deduction of discounts.
Due to the Company's sales under various contractual terms and across locations, delivery to customers in different regions might take different time periods and may result in undelivered goods at the period end. We consider there to be a risk of misstatement of the financial statements related to transactions occurring close to the year end, as transactions could be recorded in the incorrect financial period (cut-off risk).
There is also a risk of revenue being overstated due to fraud through booking fictitious sales resulting from pressure on the Company to achieve performance targets during the year as well as at the reporting period end.
Accordingly, revenue recognition is a key audit matter.
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Our audit procedures included:
• Assessing the Company's revenue recognition accounting policies for compliance with Ind AS;
• Testing the design, implementation and operating effectiveness of the Company's manual and automated (Information Technology - IT) controls on recording revenue. We also involved IT specialists for testing of IT general and application controls.
• Testing the controls around the timely and accurate recording of sales transactions. We also tested the Company's lead time assessment and quantification of any sales reversals for undelivered goods. In addition, we tested the terms and conditions set out in the sales contracts;
• Performing testing on selected statistical samples of revenue transactions recorded throughout the year and at the year end and checking delivery documents and customer purchase orders (as applicable);
• Assessing high risk manual journals posted to revenue to identify any unusual items.
• Assessing and testing the adequacy and completeness of the Company's disclosures in respect of revenue from operations.
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Litigations and claims (See Note 2.3.2(d), 2.22 and 18 and 41.1 to Standalone Financial Statements)
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The Key Audit Matter
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How the matter was addressed in our audit
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The Company operates in various States within India, exposing it to a variety of different Central and State laws, regulations and interpretations thereof. The provisions and contingent liabilities relate to ongoing litigations with and claims from various authorities. Litigations and claims may arise from direct and indirect tax proceedings, legal proceedings, including regulatory and other government/department proceedings, as well as investigations by authorities and commercial claims. Resolution of litigations and claims proceedings may span over multiple years beyond March 31,2024 due to the complexity and magnitude of the legal matters involved and may involve protracted negotiation or litigation.
The determination of a provision or contingent liability requires significant judgement by the Company because of the inherent complexity in estimating whether it is probable that there will be an outflow of economic resources. The amount recognized as a provision is the best estimate of the probable expenditure. The provisions and contingent liabilities are subject to changes due to the outcomes of litigations and claims over time as new facts emerge as each legal case progresses.
There is an inherent complexity; and magnitude of potential exposures is significant across the Company. Significant judgment is necessary to estimate the likelihood, timing and amount of the cash outflows, interpretations of the legal aspects, legislations and judgements previously made by the authorities. Accordingly, this is identified as a key audit matter.
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Our audit procedures included:
• Obtaining an understanding of actual and potential outstanding litigations and claims against the Company from the Company's in- house Legal Counsel and other senior personnel of the Company and assessing their responses;
• Testing the design, implementation and operating effectiveness of the Company's controls on evaluating litigations and claims.
• Assessing status of the litigations and claims based on correspondence between the Company and the various tax/legal authorities and legal opinions obtained by the Company;
• Testing completeness of litigations and claims recorded by verifying the Company's legal expenses and the minutes of the board meetings;
• Assessing and challenging the Company's estimate of the possible outcome of litigations and claims. This is based on applicable tax laws and legal precedence by involving our tax specialists in taxation related matters and discussing with the Company's internal legal counsel including obtaining independent legal confirmation;
• Evaluating the Company's judgements made by comparing the estimates of prior year to the actual outcome;
• Assessing and testing the adequacy and completeness of the Company's disclosures in respect of litigations and claims.
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The Key Audit Matter
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How the matter was addressed in our audit
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The Company periodically assesses if there are any triggers for
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Our audit procedures included:
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recognising impairment loss in respect of Property, plant and
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Analysing the indicators of impairment of PPE including
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equipment (PPE) relating to its Silica and Nutraceutical Cash
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understanding of Company's own assessment of
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Generating Units (CGU).
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those indicators;
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In making this determination, the Company considers both internal
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Evaluating the design and implementation and testing
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and external sources of information to determine whether there
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the operating effectiveness of key controls over the
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is an indicator of impairment and, accordingly, whether the
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impairment assessment process. This included the
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recoverable amount of the CGU needs to be estimated. Further,
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estimation and approval of forecasts, determination of
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Goodwill is required to be assessed for impairment annually.
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key assumptions and valuation models;
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An impairment loss is recognised if the recoverable amount is lower
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Assessing the valuation methodology used for determining
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than the carrying value. The recoverable amount is determined
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recoverable amount and testing the arithmetical
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based on the higher of value in use (VIU) and fair value less costs
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accuracy of the impairment models, with the assistance
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to sell (FVLCS).
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of valuations specialists;
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As at March 31, 2024, carrying Value of PPE of these CGUs were
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Assessing the identification of relevant Cash Generating
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' 470 crore and ' 46 crore for Goodwill.
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Units (CGU) to which goodwill is allocated and to which
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The assessment of indicators of impairment and recoverable
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PPE belong that are being tested;
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value is considered to be a key audit matter due to the significant
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Understanding from the Company the basis of the
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judgment required to assess the internal and external sources
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assumptions used for the projected future cash flows;
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of information. The judgement, in particular, is with respect to
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Verifying the inputs used in projecting future cash flows.
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estimation of future discounted cash flows (DCF) of the underlying
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We challenged the business assumptions used, such as
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CGUs due to the inherent uncertainty and subjectivity involved in
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sales growth, Earnings before Interest Depreciation and
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forecasting and discounting future cash flows. The DCF uses several
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Tax (EBIDTA), terminal value growth rate and discount rate
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key assumptions, including estimates of future sales, EBIDTA,
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which included comparing these inputs with externally
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terminal value growth rates and the weighted-average cost of
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derived data as well as our own assessment based on
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capital (discount rate).
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our knowledge of the client and the industry. In addition we performed sensitivity analysis, with the assistance of valuation specialists;
Evaluating the past performance of the CGUs with actual performance where relevant and assessing historical accuracy of the forecast produced by the Company;
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Assessing the adequacy of the Company's disclosures of key assumptions, judgments and sensitivities in respect of impairment testing.
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Other information
The Company's Management and Board of Directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, but does not include the financial statements and auditor's report thereon. The annual report is expected to be made available to us after the date of this auditor's report.
Our opinion on the Standalone Financial Statements does not cover the other information and we will not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the Standalone Financial Statements, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above when it becomes available and, in doing
so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the Standalone Financial Statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
When we read the annual report, if we conclude that there is a material misstatement therein, we are required to communicate the matter to those charged with governance and take necessary actions, as applicable under the relevant laws and regulations.
Management's and Board of Directors' Responsibilities for the Standalone Financial Statements
The Company's Management and Board of Directors are responsible for the matters stated in Section 134(5) of the Act with respect to the preparation of these Standalone Financial
and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances. Under Section 143(3)(i) of the Act, we are also responsible for expressing our opinion on whether the company has adequate internal financial controls with reference to financial statements in place and the operating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the Management and Board of Directors.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of the Management and Board of Directors use of the going concern basis of accounting in preparation of Standalone Financial Statements and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the Standalone Financial Statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Company to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the Standalone Financial Statements, including the disclosures, and whether the Standalone Financial Statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most
Statements that give a true and fair view of the State of Affairs, Profit/loss and Other Comprehensive Income, Changes in Equity and Cash Flows of the Company in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, including the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) specified under Section 133 of the Act. This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguarding of the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities; selection and application of appropriate accounting policies; making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and design, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial controls, that were operating effectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, relevant to the preparation and presentation of the Standalone Financial Statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the Standalone Financial Statements, the Management and Board of Directors are responsible for assessing the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Board of Directors either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The Board of Directors is also responsible for overseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the Standalone Financial Statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with SAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these Standalone Financial Statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the Standalone Financial Statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient
significance in the audit of the Standalone Financial Statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
1. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2020 ("the Order") issued by the Central Government of India in terms of Section 143(11) of the Act, we give in the "Annexure A" a statement on the matters specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Order, to the extent applicable.
2 A. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, we report that:
a. We have sought and obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purposes of our audit.
b. I n our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Company so far as it appears from our examination of those books except for the matter stated in the paragraph 2B(f) below on reporting under Rule 11(g) of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014.
c. The Standalone Balance Sheet, the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss (including Other Comprehensive Income), the Standalone Statement of Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statement of Cash Flows dealt with by this Report are in agreement with the books of account.
d. In our opinion, the aforesaid Standalone Financial Statements comply with the Ind AS specified under Section 133 of the Act.
e. On the basis of the written representations received from the directors as on March 31, 2024 taken on record by the Board of Directors, none of the directors is disqualified as on March 31,2024 from being appointed as a director in terms of Section 164(2) of the Act.
f. the modification relating to the maintenance of accounts and other matters connected therewith are as stated in the paragraph 2A(b) above on reporting under Section 143(3)(b) and paragraph 2B(f) below on reporting under Rule
11(g) of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014.
g. With respect to the adequacy of the internal financial controls with reference to financial statements of the Company and the operating effectiveness of such controls, refer to our separate Report in "Annexure B".
B. With respect to the other matters to be included in the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014, in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us:
a. The Company has disclosed the impact of pending litigations as at March 31, 2024 on its financial position in its Standalone Financial Statements - Refer Note 18 and 41.1 to the Standalone Financial Statements.
b. The Company did not have any long-term contracts for which there were any material foreseeable losses. The Company has made provision for foreseeable losses on derivative contracts - refer note 17 and 36 to the Standalone Financial Statements.
c. There has been no delay in transferring amounts to the Investor Education and Protection Fund by the Company during the year ended March 31, 2024 except for INR 0.74 crore due to legal disputes with regard to ownership that have remain unresolved.
d (i) The management has represented that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, as disclosed in the Note 42(b) to the Standalone Financial Statements, no funds have been advanced or loaned or invested (either from borrowed funds or share premium or any other sources or kind of funds) by the Company to or in any other person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities ("Intermediaries"), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Intermediary shall directly or indirectly lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the Company ("Ultimate Beneficiaries") or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(ii) The management has represented that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, as disclosed in the Note 42(b) to the Standalone Financial Statements, no funds have been received by the Company from any person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities ("Funding Parties"), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Company shall directly or indirectly, lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the Funding Parties ("Ultimate Beneficiaries") or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(iii) Based on the audit procedures performed that have been considered reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, nothing has come to our notice that has caused us to believe that the representations under sub-clause (i) and (ii) of Rule 11(e), as provided under (i) and (ii) above, contain any material misstatement.
e. The final dividend paid by the Company during the year, in respect of the same declared for the previous year, is in accordance with Section 123 of the Act to the extent it applies to payment of dividend.
As stated in Note 16.5 to the Standalone Financial Statements, the Board of Directors of the Company has proposed final dividend for the year which is subject to the approval of the members at the ensuing Annual General Meeting. The dividend declared is in accordance with Section 123 of the Act to the extent it applies to declaration of dividend.
f. Based on our examination which included test checks, except for the instances mentioned below, the Company has used accounting softwares for maintaining its books of account which has a feature of recording audit trail (edit log) facility and the same has operated throughout the year for all relevant transactions recorded in the respective softwares
(i) The feature of recording audit trail was not enabled at the database layer to log any direct data changes for the accounting software used for maintaining the books
of accounts relating to general ledger and consolidation process
(ii) The audit trail was not enabled for certain changes which were performed by users having privilege access rights, for the accounting software used for maintaining the books of accounts relating to the general ledger.
(iii) I n the absence of independent auditor's report for the period 1 January 2024 to March 31, 2024 in relation to controls at service organisation for accounting software used for maintaining the books of account relating to payroll process, which is operated by a third-party software service provider, we are unable to comment whether audit trail feature of the said software was enabled and operated for the period 1 January 2024 to March 31, 2024 for all relevant transactions recorded in the software.
Further, for the period audit trail (edit log) facility was enabled and operated for the respective accounting softwares, we did not come across any instance of the audit trail feature being tampered with.
C. With respect to the matter to be included in the Auditor's Report under Section 197(16) of the Act:
In our opinion and according to the information and explanations given to us, the remuneration paid/ payable by the Company to its directors during the current year is in accordance with the provisions of Section 197 of the Act. The remuneration paid to any director is not in excess of the limit laid down under Section 197 of the Act. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has not prescribed other details under Section 197(16) of the Act which are required to be commented upon by us.
For B S R & Co. LLP
Chartered Accountants Firm's Registration No.:101248W/W-100022
Vijay Mathur
Partner
Mumbai, Membership No.: 046476
April 29, 2024 ICAI UDIN:24046476BKGPAT2049
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