What is the difference between tax filing and tax return?

A) Tax filing is a process.

B) Tax Return is an object (form - either manual or electronic)

You fill (B) and submit to authoriries to complete (A).

I hope I am correct on this bcoz my background is Engg and not accounts.

1) first there is nothing like tax filing

2) when it comes to tax return , this is the format in which assessee has to furnish total information about his income under different heads and other provisions like clubbing and set off and Carry forward of losses (in simple information about how he got total income ) .
3) tax return has to be filed by the different assessees as per the provisions under income tax act , which is also known as return filing.