Tata Chemicals Limited has appointed KNAV Limited as the new statutory auditor for four of its material subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, replacing KPMG LLP. The change was disclosed to stock exchanges on September 26, 2026, following the resignation of KPMG from the respective entities.

The affected subsidiaries include Homefield Pvt. UK Limited, TCE Group Limited, Brunner Mond Group Limited, and British Salt Limited. According to the filing, the primary reason for the auditor change was a disagreement over audit fees. The company stated that the continuation of fees at levels charged in previous years was no longer acceptable to the entities.

Subsidiaries Affected by Auditor Change

The disclosure highlights that three of the four entities are holding companies with no other operations, while one is an operating company contributing significantly to consolidated revenue.

Details of the Transition

KPMG LLP, registered under number 9188307, resigned from its position as statutory auditor effective September 16, 2026. The resignation letters indicated that there were no matters connected to their ceasing to hold office that needed to be brought to the attention of the members or creditors of the companies. This suggests the departure was purely commercial rather than indicative of financial irregularities or audit concerns.

KNAV Limited, registered under number 03215471, has been appointed as the successor firm. The appointment dates vary slightly by entity: September 16, 2026, for Homefield Pvt. UK Limited, and September 16, 2026, for the remaining three entities, with formal communication made on September 25, 2026.

What the Numbers Show

The disclosure reveals a concentration of risk and operational structure within Tata Chemicals' UK portfolio. While three of the four entities are non-operational holding vehicles, British Salt Limited stands out as the sole operating entity among them, contributing 5% to the group's consolidated revenue. The fact that all four entities shared the same auditor and faced the same fee dispute indicates a centralized procurement strategy for professional services across the UK division. The switch from a Big Four firm (KPMG) to a mid-tier firm (KNAV) aligns with the stated objective of cost reduction, potentially impacting the perceived assurance level for this specific segment of the business.

Tata Chemicals has established a high-level technical committee co-led by the Principal Secretary for Mining and the TCML CEO.

Committee formation details

The newly constituted committee brings together senior leadership from the government and corporate levels. The Principal Secretary for Mining and the CEO of TCML have been designated to lead the committee, signalling a structured approach to addressing the matters under its purview.

The formation of this committee reflects a collaborative framework between Tata Chemicals and relevant stakeholders in the mining domain. The involvement of the Principal Secretary for Mining alongside the TCML CEO indicates the committee's mandate spans both regulatory and operational dimensions.