In India, black money refers to funds earned on the black market, on which income and other taxes have not been paid or which is the proceeds of criminal activity such as bribery, kick backs and corruption. The total amount of black money deposited in foreign banks by Indians is unknown. Some reports claim a total of US$1.06 trillion is held illegally in Switzerland. Other reports, including those reported by the Swiss Bankers Association and the Government of Switzerland, claim these reports are false and fabricated, and the total amount held in all Swiss bank accounts by citizens of India is about US$2 billion.
In February 2012, the director of India's Central Bureau of Investigation said that Indians have US$500 billion of illegal funds in foreign tax havens, more than any other country. In March 2012, the government of India clarified in its parliament that the CBI director's statement on $500 billion of illegal money was an estimate based on a statement made to India's Supreme Court in July 2011.
In a televised address on 8 November 2016 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was announced that banknotes of ₹500 and ₹1000 would cease to be legal tender from midnight. Automatic teller machines at some places were closed on 9 and 10 November. Government organisations have brought out new notes. The Govt of India had accepted the proposal of RBI in bringing out ₹2000 banknotes and a new version of the ₹500. The old notes are being removed from circulation.
Some Indian corporations practice transfer mispricing, by under-invoicing their exports and over-invoicing their imports from tax haven countries such as Singapore, UAE, and Hong Kong. Thus the promoters of the public limited companies who hold rarely more than 10% of share capital, earn black money abroad at the cost of majority share holders and tax income to the Indian government.