

NFRA to complete 10 audit firm inspections in FY26, exploring AI to boost oversight
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in overseeing statutory audits and plans to complete inspections of ten audit firms in the current financial year, the highest in its seven-year history, said chairperson Nitin Gupta in his first media interview since taking charge last July. Gupta said NFRA is taking “baby steps" in testing AI, which could later be deployed on a larger scale.
“The idea is to expedite the overall workflow and make it more efficient." The move would enable the regulator to analyse more financial statements on critical accounting policies, questionable transactions, and auditors’ professionalism in a fast-moving economy. This financial year, NFRA aims to inspect ten audit firms, up from six in FY25, said Gupta who previously served as the chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Earlier inspections covered 12 firms, including Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP, Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP, Lodha & Co., BSR & Co., SRBC & Co., and Walker Chandiok & Co.
LLP, with reports published between December 2023 and March 2025. Inspection reports are not disciplinary orders and do not entail penalties. NFRA inspections focus on areas with inherent risks of material misstatement, such as related party transactions, impairment of non-financial assets, and internal controls over revenue recognition.
Read on livemint.com