Dividend distribution tax is the tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

 levied by the Indian Government

Government of India

The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

 on companies according to the dividend

Dividend

Dividends are payments made by a corporation to its shareholder members. It is the portion of corporate profits paid out to stockholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, that money can be put to two uses: it can either be re-invested in the business , or it can be distributed to...

 paid to a company's investors.

At present the dividend distribution tax is 15% , according to the Union Budget

Union budget of India

The Union Budget of India, referred to as the annual Financial Statement in Article 112 of the Constitution of India, is the annual budget of the Republic of India, presented each year on the last working day of February by the Finance Minister of India in Parliament...

2007, India.

As per existing tax provisions, income from dividends is tax free in the hands of the investor. However, this is not to say that there is no tax levied at all. On the contrary, there is a levy of 15% of the dividend declared as distribution tax. This tax is paid out of the profits/reserves of the company declaring the dividend.