India redesigned its income tax e-filing portal on April 1, 2026. If you last used the old portal (eportal.incometax.gov.in circa 2021-2025), the experience has changed in a few meaningful ways not just the visual refresh, but the actual interaction model.

Here is a developer-and-technically-minded breakdown of what is new.

Karsati: The Portal is Built-In AI Assistant

Karsati is a multilingual AI assistant embedded directly in the e-filing portal interface. It is available in English and Hindi and responds in real time as you navigate filing workflows.

What it does technically:

Contextual guidance : Karsati knows which page you are on. If you are in the ITR-4 income section, it gives ITR-4-specific help, not generic FAQs.

Form selection : Ask Karsati what ITR form you should use, describe your income type (salary + freelance, or business + capital gains), and it recommends the right form.

Field explanations : Click a specific field and ask Karsati what it means.…