Indian IT services company Tech Mahindra and global content and technology leader Thomson Reuters have announced a strategic partnership aimed at helping businesses across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region prepare for upcoming mandatory e-invoicing regulations. These new tax compliance requirements are expected to take effect in July 2026, marking a significant change in how companies in the region manage invoicing and tax reporting.
This collaboration brings together Tech Mahindra’s enterprise IT and consulting expertise with Thomson Reuters’ advanced tax and compliance technologies. Together, they plan to offer an integrated solution that helps organizations design, connect, and manage new e-invoicing systems efficiently.
Key Takeaways
- What’s Happening: Tech Mahindra and Thomson Reuters are joining hands to help MENA-based companies comply with new digital invoicing mandates.
- Why It Matters: The partnership will assist organizations in aligning with new tax laws that require real-time, electronic invoicing—a key step toward greater transparency and tax efficiency.
- Deadline: The new e-invoicing regulations are set to go live in July 2026.
- Division of Roles: Tech Mahindra will focus on IT, consulting, and integrating enterprise systems like ERPs.
- Thomson Reuters will provide specialized tax and compliance software solutions.
- The Business Advantage: Companies adopting this solution can automate compliance, receive instant regulatory updates, prepare better for audits, and potentially lower operational costs in the long run.
Preparing for a Digital Tax Future
The shift toward mandatory e-invoicing marks a major milestone for businesses operating in the MENA region. Much like India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework, e-invoicing requires invoices to be created and transmitted digitally in a government-approved format—often reported instantly to a central tax authority.
For many companies, this means reworking or upgrading their existing accounting and billing systems. Non-compliance could result in penalties or operational disruptions, which is why early adoption is so crucial.
Under this initiative, Tech Mahindra will help companies integrate the new e-invoicing solutions into their existing IT infrastructure, ensuring seamless data flow. Meanwhile, Thomson Reuters will provide the regulatory engine that ensures every invoice adheres to the legal formats and requirements of each country within the region.
This joint offering could be particularly beneficial for industries such as Construction, Manufacturing, Banking and Financial Services (BFSI), and Travel, which typically deal with large volumes of invoices and complex tax processes.
What the Companies Said
Harshul Asnani, President and Head of Europe Business at Tech Mahindra, commented,
“The MENA region is moving toward a mandatory e-invoicing system, and businesses are under pressure to adopt tools that are ready for these regulations. By using the knowledge and capabilities of Tech Mahindra and Thomson Reuters, this joint effort will help enterprises follow evolving mandates and update their tax and finance operations.”
Vishal Bali, Managing Director of Asia and Emerging Markets at Thomson Reuters, added,
“We are happy to join forces with Tech Mahindra to help organisations across the MENA region handle the difficulties of e-invoicing and tax compliance. As requirements change… our combined expertise will ensure that businesses are equipped with the needed tools to achieve compliance and operational efficiency.”
Both companies also noted that this partnership could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in other global markets, helping multinational corporations maintain consistent tax compliance across borders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is e-invoicing?
E-invoicing, or electronic invoicing, refers to generating, sending, and receiving invoices in a structured digital format. This enables automated processing by business systems and government tax portals, reducing manual work and errors.
2. Why is e-invoicing becoming mandatory in the MENA region?
Governments are introducing e-invoicing to boost tax transparency, prevent fraud, and improve revenue collection by ensuring all transactions are traceable and accurately reported.
3. What roles will Tech Mahindra and Thomson Reuters play?
Tech Mahindra will manage system integration and consulting, helping organizations connect their ERP and accounting systems. Thomson Reuters will provide the software platform that formats and reports invoices according to regional tax laws, ensuring full compliance.
4. When do the new e-invoicing rules come into effect?
According to the joint announcement, the new MENA e-invoicing framework will be enforced starting July 2026.
5. Which countries fall under the MENA region?
MENA typically includes nations such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt, among others.
