1) The document discusses double taxation avoidance agreements (DTAAs) between India and other countries. 2) DTAAs aim to avoid double taxation that may occur when the same income is taxed in both the country of residence and the country of source. 3) India has 84 DTAAs currently with other countries based on either the OECD or UN model conventions. The DTAAs provide relief from double taxation and clarify taxing rights between the two countries.

1. Double Taxation
Avoidance
Agreements with India
Prepared By: Nishidh Patel
nishidh41@gmail.com
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 1

2.  In the current era of cross -border transactions across the world,
due to unique growth in international trade and commerce and
increasing interaction among the nations, residents of one country
extend their sphere of business operations to other countries
where income is earned.
 One of the most significant results of globalization is the
Introduction noticeable impact of one country’s domestic tax policies on the
economy of another country.
 This has led to the need for incessantly assessing the tax regimes
of various countries and bringing about indispensable reforms.
 Therefore, the consequence of taxation is one of the important
considerations for any trade and investment decision in any other
countries.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 2

3.  Where a taxpayer is resident in one country but has a source of
income situated in another country, it gives rise to possible double
taxation.
 This arises from two basic rules that enable the country of
residence as well as the country where the source of income exists
to impose tax, namely,
 Source rule
Double  The source rule holds that income is to be taxed in the country in which
it originates irrespective of whether the income accrues to a resident or
a nonresident
Taxation  Residence rule
 The residence rule stipulates that the power to tax should rest with the
country in which the taxpayer resides.
 If both rules apply simultaneously to a business entity and it were
to suffer tax at both ends, the cost of operating in an international
scale would become prohibitive and deter the process of
globalization. It is from this point of view that Double taxation
avoidance Agreements (DTAA) become very significant.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 3

4.  International double taxation has adverse effects on the trade and
services and on movement of capital and people. Taxation of the same
income by two or more countries would constitute a prohibitive
burden on the tax-payer.
 The domestic laws of most countries, including India, mitigate this
difficulty by affording unilateral relief in respect of such doubly taxed
Double income (Section 91 of the Income Tax Act).
 But as this is not a satisfactory solution in view of the divergence in
Taxation the rules for determining sources of income in various countries, the
tax treaties try to remove tax obstacles that inhibit trade and services
Avoidance and movement of capital and persons between the countries
concerned. It helps in improving the general investment climate.
Agreements  The double tax treaties (also called Double Taxation Avoidance
Agreements or “DTAA”) are negotiated under public international
or “DTAA” law and governed by the principles laid down under the Vienna
Convention on the Law of Treaties.
 It is in the interest of all countries to ensure that undue tax burden is
not cast on persons earning income by taxing them twice, once in the
country of residence and again in the country where the income is
derived. At the same time sufficient precautions are also needed to
guard against tax evasion and to facilitate tax recoveries.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 4

5.  The Fiscal Committee of OECD in the Model Double Taxation
Convention on Income and Capital, 1977,defines double taxation
as:
‘The imposition of comparable taxes in two or more states on the
same tax payer in respect of the same subject matter and for
identical periods’.
Double  Double Taxation of the same income would cause severe
consequences on the future of international trade. Countries of
Taxation the world therefore aim at eliminating the prevalence of double
taxation. Such agreements are known as "Double Tax Avoidance
Agreements" (DTAA) also termed as "Tax Treaties”.
 In India, the Central Government, acting under Section 90 of the
Income Tax Act, has been authorized to enter into double tax
avoidance agreements with other countries.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 5

6. Necessity of  The need and purpose of tax treaties has been summarized by the
Double OECD in the ‘Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital’ in
the following words:
Taxation ‘It is desirable to clarify, standardize, and confirm the fiscal situation
of taxpayers who are engaged, industrial, financial, or any other
Avoidance activities in other countries through the application by all countries
of common solutions to identical cases of double taxation’.
Agreements
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 6

7.  Avoiding and alleviating the adverse burden of international
double taxation, by -
1. laying down rules for division of revenue between two countries;
2. exempting certain incomes from tax in either country;
Objectives of 3. reducing the applicable rates of tax on certain incomes taxable in
Double either countries.
 Tax treaties help a taxpayer of one country to know with greater
Taxation certainty the potential limits of his tax liabilities in the other
Avoidance country.
 Another benefit from the tax-payers point of view is that, to a
Agreements substantial extent, a tax treaty provides against non-
discrimination of foreign tax payers or the permanent
establishments in the source countries vis-à-vis domestic tax
payers.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 7

8.  DTAAs ensure that countries adopt common definitions for factors
that determine taxing rights and taxable events. Crucial among
these is the definition of a permanent establishment.
 Most treaties also specify a Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP)
which is invoked when interpretation of treaty provisions is
disputed.
 To prevent abuse of treaty concessions, treaties increasingly
incorporate restrictions and rules, such as a general anti-
Functions of avoidance rule (GAAR), that allow tax authorities to determine if a
DTAAs transaction is only undertaken for tax avoidance or not.
 Benefit limitation tests and controlled foreign corporation (CFC)
rules also place limits on claims of residence in countries eligible
for treaty concessions.
 Exchange of tax information on either a routine basis or in
response to a special request is provided for in most treaties to
assist countries counter tax evasion.
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9.  As of now there exists 84 Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) between India &
other countries.
Salient Features  These treaties are usually between countries with substantial trade or other economic
relations. Most treaties are between pairs of developed countries while, of the balance, most
of Double are between developed and developing countries.
 DTAAs
Taxation  Provide reciprocal concessions to mitigate double taxation,
Avoidance  Assign taxation rights roughly in accordance with that “existing consensus” and
 Largely though not rigidly follow the OECD Model Tax Convention or, for developing
Agreements countries, the UN Tax Convention.
(DTAAs)  Recent treaties contain new clauses following the OECD Model Tax Conventions of 2005 to
2010 which extend areas of cooperation to administrative and information issues.
agreements  A typical DTA Agreement between India and another country covers only residents of India and
the other contracting country who has entered into the agreement with India. A person who is
between India & not resident either of India or of the other contracting country cannot claim any benefit under
the said DTA Agreement.
other countries  Such agreement generally provides that the laws of the two contracting states will govern
the taxation of income in respective states except when express provision to the contrary is
made in the agreement.
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10.  Section 90 - Agreement with foreign countries or specified territories –Bilateral Relief
 Since the tax treaties are meant to be beneficial and not intended to put tax payers of a
contracting state to a disadvantage, it is provided in Sec. 90 that a beneficial provision under
the Indian Income Tax Act will not be denied to residents of contracting state merely because
the corresponding provision in tax treaty is less beneficial.
 Section 90A - Double taxation relief to be extended to agreements (between specified
DTAAs & Associations) adopted by the Central Government
 Section 91 - Countries with which no agreement exists-Unilateral Agreements
relevant  Some Double Taxation Avoidance agreements provide that income by way of interest,
provisions of royalty or fee for technical services is charged to tax on net basis.
 This may result in tax deducted at source from sums paid to Non-residents which may be
Income-Tax more than the final tax liability. The Assessing Officer has therefore been empowered
under section 195 to determine the appropriate proportion of the amount from which
tax is to be deducted at source.
Act, 1961  There are instances where as per the Income-tax Act, tax is required to be deducted at a
rate prescribed in tax treaty. However this may require foreign companies to apply for
refund.
 To prevent such difficulties Sec. 2(37A) provides that tax may be deducted at source at
the rate applicable in a particular case as per section 195 on the sums payable to non-
residents or in accordance with the rates specified in D.T.A. Agreements.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 10

11. 1. Bilateral relief
 Under this method, the Governments of two countries can enter
into an agreement to provide relief against double taxation by
mutually working out the basis on which relief is to be granted. India
has entered into 84 agreements for relief against or avoidance of
double taxation.
 Bilateral relief may be granted in either one of the following
methods:
a. Exemption method, by which a particular income is taxed in only
one of the two countries; and
Types of relief b. Tax relief methods under which, an income is taxable in both
countries in accordance with the respective tax laws read with the
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. However, the country of
residence of the taxpayer allows him credit for the tax charged
thereon in the country of source.
2. Unilateral relief
 This method provides for relief of some kind by the home country
where no mutual agreement has been entered into between the
countries.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 11

12. 1. Exemption Method
 One method of avoiding double taxation is for the residence country
to altogether exclude foreign income from its tax base. The country
of source is then given exclusive right to tax such incomes. This is
known as complete exemption method and is sometimes followed
Methods of in respect of profits attributable to foreign permanent
establishments or income from immovable property. Indian tax
Eliminating treaties with Denmark, Norway and Sweden embody with respect to
certain incomes.
Double 2. Credit Method
Taxation  This method reflects the underline concept that the resident
remains liable in the country of residence on its global income,
however as far the quantum of tax liabilities is concerned credit for
tax paid in the source country is given by the residence country
against its domestic tax as if the foreign tax were paid to the country
of residence itself.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 12

13. 3. Tax Sparing
 One of the aims of the Indian Double Taxation Avoidance
Agreements is to stimulate foreign investment flows in India from
foreign developed countries.
Methods of  One way to achieve this aim is to let the investor to preserve to
himself/itself benefits of tax incentives available in India for such
Eliminating investments. This is done through “Tax Sparing”. Here the tax credit
is allowed by the country of its residence, not only in respect of taxes
Double actually paid by it in India but also in respect of those taxes India
forgoes due to its fiscal incentive provisions under the Indian Income
Taxation Tax Act.
 Thus, tax sparing credit is an extension of the normal and regular tax
credit to taxes that are spared by the source country i.e. forgiven or
reduced due to rebates with the intention of providing incentives for
investments.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 13

14.  There are Two major types of DTAA Model
1. OECD MODEL
 OECD Models are generally adopted by developed nations and their
emphasis is on the residency based taxation.
DTAA Models 2. UN MODEL
 UN Model emphasis is on the source based taxation and generally
adopted by the developing nations.
 There are also US model Convention & Indian Model Convention
too.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 14

15.  An analysis of any tax treaty would have the following components:
1. The date on which it come into effect.
2. Applicability – Applies to a person who is resident of one or both the
countries. “Resident” is defined under domestic law of different counties differently.
Article 4 expects that it should based upon domicile, physical residence, place of
management or such other criteria but makes it clear that where a person is a
resident in both the countries, it is the location of the permanent home or where
vital interests are located or where there is fixed abode or where he is citizen, in that
order, will decide the residential status. There may be cases, when it has been found
that the assessee is resident in both the countries then tie-breaker rule has to apply
to determine the residential status.
Components a. In the case of individual his personal & economic ties determine his
residential status.
of Tax Treaty 3.
b. In the case of others, it is the place of effective management.
General Definitions – Article 3 of DTAA generally covers general definition of Person,
Company, contracting state, Enterprise of a contracting state, Competent Authority,
national etc, which all are applicable to the respective DTAA.
4. The Tax which it covers – What kind of tax the treaty covers should be known as
there are different form of tax in different countries & the DTAA will provide the
relief on the specified tax as mentioned in the DTAA.
5. The definition which will be applicable in both countries irrespective of domestic
law, as for example on such vital issues as residence, which may be different from
the residential statute in local law with greater stress on nexus between source &
income, definition of certain categories’ like technical services etc.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 15

16. 6. Permanent Establishment and its parameters –
a. PE means a fixed place from where the business of the enterprise is carried on.
b. PE includes place of management, branch, office, factory, workshop, mine , quarry,
an oil or gas well, a construction site for long duration, a service location for a long
duration and a dependent agency with power to conclude contracts.
7. The definition of concepts like immovable property, dividend, business profits,
royalty, technical fees, salaries etc.
8. Different ways of tax-sharing depending upon the residential statute, permanent
Components establishment, fixed base or tax sharing with both countries giving agreed part of
relief.
of Tax Treaty 9. Stipulation as to the method of relief either by way of exempting income or where it
is taxable, taxing it at stipulated rate, which may be lower than the domestic rate, or
by unilaterally giving credit for tax paid in the other country.
10. Exchange of information with special reference to the concept of associated
enterprises primarily to tackle diversion of income to avail treaty benefit or evasion
of tax in one or the other country.
11. Provision for elimination of double taxation.
12. Provision for non- discrimination etc.
13. Other clauses to suit the requirement of the participating countries.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 16

17.  UOI v. Azadi Bachao Andolan (Mauritius)
 Validity of CBDT Circular No. 786, providing that Mauritian tax residency certificate was
sufficient proof to avail benefits under Indo-Mauritius DTAA, upheld: Supreme Court
 Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited v ADIT (Italy)
 Payment made by assessee to an Italian Company (GTA) for Deputing Certain
Technicians to India for Supervising erection of Machinery would not be chargeable to
tax in India because person who rendered services were not present in India for required
number of days as envisaged by article 5(j) of DTAA.
 Microsoft Corporation vs. ADIT (USA)
 ITAT Delhi in the case of Microsoft Corporation held that payment made for grant of licence in respect
of Copy right by end user is taxable as royalty as per s.9(1)(vi),domestic tax legislation to override treaty
provisions in case of irreconcilable conflict.
Case Laws  ADIT v. Chiron Behring Gmbh & Co KG (Germany)
 Royalty income earned by a resident of Germany from India has to be assessed to tax at
the rate of 10% as provided in Article 12 of DTAA.
 Praxair Pacific Ltd In RE (Mauritius , 42 DTR (AAR) 177)
 Shares held by the applicant as investment in the books of accounts are treated as
capital asset. Applicant is not liable to be taxed in India on the proposed transfer of said
shares to its wholly –owned subsidiary company in India in view of section 47 (iv) or
under art 13 of India Mauritius treaties.
 Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. vs. ADIT [(2010) 130 TTJ 518 (Mum.)]
 It is not necessary that unless a person be taxed in the UAE that person cannot claim the
benefits of Indo- UAE tax treaty in India, what is really relevant to see is whether or not
the recipient was resident of the UAE.
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 17

18.  India, Sweden sign protocol for amending double taxation
avoidance pact
 No progress in tax avoidance treaty revision with Mauritius: FM
 India, Sri Lanka sign pacts on anti-terror, double taxation
avoidance
DTAAs in  Proposal to amend double taxation avoidance deal between
Recent News Bangladesh and India cleared
 Budget 2013: USIBC for a fair transparent tax environment
 Registered FIIs take P-note route to avoid tax tangles
 FinMin to make it easier for foreigners to prove tax residency
 Govt postpones GAAR implementation by 2 years to 2016
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements with India 18