Introduction The anti-profiteering law[1] under the Goods and Services Tax law (‘GST’) in India has been a subject matter of debate since the time GST was introduced. More than a hundred petitioners challenged the constitutional validity of the anti-profiteering provision by virtue of a petition before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court (‘DHC’). At the conclusion…
Buoyed by a transcendental approach to propel India towards “all-round, all-pervasive, and all-inclusive development”[1], India’s Finance Minister, Ms Sitharaman heralded the interim budget, reinvigorating the twin-peaks of good governance and maximum results. The outlook of the government is ubiquitous, with 2024 being an election year as India readies itself to go to the polls. The…
In the ruling administration’s last full budget before India goes to the polls, India’s Finance Minister, Ms Sitharaman, laid out the government’s vision – “Making India a technology-driven and knowledge-based economy with strong public finances, and a robust financial sector.” She identified four transformative opportunities for India: (i) economic empowerment of Women (ii) upliftment of…
When India’s Finance Minister rose before the Lok Sabha (House of Commons) on 1st Feb, 2022 to present her budget for India’s fiscal year 2022-23 (April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023), she compressed the 284 page budget document into a crisp 90-minute speech, a part of which highlighted how India’s proposed budgetary tax measures…
Though India has been having tax treaties with over 90 countries across the globe for several decades now, interpretation of various provisions of the treaties continues to be a subject matter of protracted litigation to date. Many issues remain vexed in India, as very few of them are settled at the Supreme Court level. As…
A conversation on International Tax Practice culminated into an IFA webinar series on May 20th with global experts sharing their perspectives on landmark treaty and transfer pricing rulings delivered by Courts in various jurisdictions suggesting areas of alignment and divergence of principles. In an eminent panel moderated by Professor Robert Danon, Mr. Mukesh Butani…
Last month my blog discussed the questions relating to corporate residence and article 4(1) of the UK-US Double Tax Treaty raised in G E Financial Investments v HMRC [2021] UKFTT 210 (TC). This month the focus is on the permanent establishment issues. The case concerned a complex financing structure General Electric Company group. The taxpayer,…
On 20 May, 2021 the first Webinar of IFA’s online series “A conversation on International Tax Practice” was held. Chaired by Robert Danon (Chair IFA Permanent Scientific Committee), global experts shared their perspectives on India’s software royalty case and on landmark transfer pricing rulings delivered by Courts in various jurisdictions thereby suggesting alignment and…
In one of the significant and eye-catching moves by the Indian government, the controversial law on retrospective tax on indirect transfer of shares representing assets held in India was withdrawn and was made prospective[1]. The law passed recently also proposed to refund the amount paid in these cases without any interest thereon. The retrospective introduction…
The present article explores some concrete application cases of Big Data in Tax Administrations (TAs). It then formulates some ideas for its possible expansion in the near future, considering both advantages and disadvantages. 1. Big Data The concepts of Big Data, data analytics and artificial intelligence are not new. Still, some technological advances have made…
Mukesh Butani, Seema Kejriwal & Ajitesh Dayal Singh Introduction The Supreme Court of India recently settled a two-decade old dispute pertaining to taxability of software income. The Supreme Court ruled that payments to non-resident software vendors/licensors cannot be treated as payment towards royalty, and hence no withholding tax liability can be imposed on the resident…
Introduction India’s 2021 Finance Bill proposes to add a definition of “liable to tax” in its domestic direct tax law. As per the definition, the term ‘liable to tax’, “in relation to a person, means that there is a liability of tax on such person under any law for the time being in force in…
HMRC v Embiricos [2020] UKUT 370 (TC) reflects a common issue that arises in connection with tax investigations or audits of internationally mobile individuals. Mr Embiricos filed his tax returns on the basis that he was resident, but not domiciled in the UK. On that basis, he was entitled to the remittance basis of taxation….
Introduction One of the key reasons highlighted by OECD imploring the urgent need for consensus on digital tax under its Inclusive Framework were the repercussions arising on account of unilateral digital taxes. Recent reports released by the United States Trade Representative (‘USTR’) reveal that such concerns are real and carry ominous ramifications. A case in…
