Does an NRI need to file an income tax return in India for farm rent?

Rent you earn from leasing out your land is not the same as agricultural income and is generally taxable in India, so it may require you to file an Indian income tax return. Whether you must file depends on the total of your Indian taxable income against the basic exemption limit, and on whether tax was deducted. Even pure crop growing income, which is exempt as agricultural income, is best reported correctly so your records are clean for repatriation and any future land sale. If TDS has been deducted on any Indian income and you want a refund, you will need to file a return. Many NRIs file in India to keep a clean tax record that supports remittances abroad. Since the filing requirement depends on your numbers and the type of income, get a CA to check whether you must file and to handle the return; it is usually inexpensive and avoids problems later. General information, not tax advice.