Showing posts with label Royalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royalty. Show all posts

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Payment of IPLC Charges subject to Tax Withholding - ITAT Chennai

In the case of Cognizant Technology Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. vs. ITO (2014-TII-131-ITAT-MAD-INTL) it is held that -
Payments made for International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) are taxable as ‘Royalty’ for:
      i.        use or right to use commercial and scientific equipment u/s.9(1)(vi) of the Act read with explanation-2
     ii.        Alternatively, payment should be considered as payment for the use of the process provided by the assessee, whereby through the assured bandwidth, the customer is guaranteed the transmission of data and the voice.
Facts:
Assessee-company is engaged in the business of software development and export.It had made remittances to non-resident company M/s.Sprint USA for hiring International Private Leased Circuits, to receive bandwidth service, that enabled the assessee to communicate with its offices anywhere in the world through high speed connectivity via submarine cable. Through this dedicated high speed connectivity, the assessee was provided internet access and other telecommunication facilities. The foreign company, Sprint, USA, was responsible for installing and configuring the routers at the assessee’s customer’s site and backbone sites in US and Europe. The remittance made by the assessee to Sprint, USA, included the charges for router rental, installation, management and maintenance besides the software initialization charges.
The assessee remitted these amounts to the non-resident company without deduction of tax at source. arguing that these payments were for usage charges, recurring charges installation charges and also non usage charges which included service fee, access fee and equipment.
The Assessing Officer (AO) after analyzing the nature of services provided by Sprint USA to the assessee, held that the payments constituted 'royalty' for use of telecommunication equipment and other services and the assessee was liable for deducting tax at source under section 195. Accordingly, the AO disallowed the payment under section 40(a)(i) .
On appeal, the CIT(A) held that these payments were for international telecommunication services, which is a standard facility or service provided to all those willing to pay; that the assessee did not get any right to use any goods/equipment provided in such transmission. Therefore, the payments made to the overseas company were not in the nature of 'Royalty' for the use of equipment. The CIT(A) further held that M/s. Sprint USA did not have any permanent establishment in India and its income was in the nature of business income as it provided only 'service' to the assessee, who had not taken any equipment on lease. Thus, in the absence of PE, for the services rendered by Sprint, there was no necessity to pay taxes in India and as such the assessee was under no obligation to deduct tax under section 195 while making payments.
Order:


These are six appeals. Two appeals in ITA No.1535/Mds/2009 for the Assessment Year (AY) 2002-03 and ITA No.1536/Mds/2009 for the AY.2003-04 have been filed by the Revenue against the order of the Commissioner of Income Tax(Appeals)-XI, Chennai, dated 06-07-2009 passed u/s.201(1) and 201(1A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (herein after referred to as 'the Act'). The CIT(Appeals) has passed common order for both the AYs.
ITA No.460/Mds/2010 relevant to the AY.2002-03 has been filed by the Revenue assailing the order of CIT(Appeals), LTU, Chennai dt.29-01-2010. The assessee has filed cross-objections in the said appeal.
ITA No.751/Mds/2010 relevant to the AY.2006-07 has been filed by the assessee against the order of CIT(Appeals), LTU, Chennai dt.12-03-2010. The Revenue has filed cross appeal in ITA No.864/Mds/2010 against the same order of CIT(Appeals).
ITA No.1922/Mds/2010 relevant to the AY.2006-07 has been filed by the Revenue assailing the order of CIT(Appeals), LTU, Chennai dt.31-08-2010 passed u/s.154 of the Act.
2. First we will take up the appeals of the Revenue in ITA No.1535 & 1536/Mds/2009 for the AYs.2002-03 & 2003-04 respectively assailing the order of CIT(Appeals) passed u/s.201(1) and 201(1A). The brief facts of the case are: The assessee-company is engaged in the business of software development and export. During the period relevant to the AYs under consideration, the assessee made remittances to M/s.Sprint USA for hiring International Private Leased Circuits [IPLC]. The aforesaid remittances made to non-resident company were without deduction of tax at source. M/s. Sprint USA is providing IPLC Bandwidth service to the assessee for internet access, business, data exchange, video conferencing and other telecommunication facilities to enable dedicated high speed connectivity. The details of the services provided by M/s.Sprint USA to the assessee are as under:
(a) International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC)
An IPLC is a point to point private line used by an organization to communicate between offices that are geographically dispersed throughout the World. An IPLC is used for internet access, business data exchange, video conferencing and any other form of telecommunication. This service entitles the customer to high speed connectivity anywhere in the world via submarine cable. It is stated that IPLC services are provided by two international career companies. Sprint is providing a US half channel and VSNL is providing India half channel. Congnizant is using IPLC services for their backbone connectivity and international customer connectivity.
(b) Private Leased Circuit (PLC)
A Private Leased Circuit is a direct or 'dedicated' line that connects customer specified locations, such as between the head office and a branch office, or a group company and a factory. Sprint provided private leased circuits in US and UK for connecting Cognizant customers to Cognizant US backbone.
(c) Frame Relay Circuit (FRC)
It is a cost effective data networking service that allows enterprises to connect to remote offices in a secure, private WAN environment. It is stated that the standard components include (i) ports – the customers' physical entry into the frame relay network from a particular site (ii) permanent virtual circuit (PVCs) – PVCs provide point to point connectivity between two sides like a private line (iii) local access/local loops – providing connectivity to the frame relay network. This is a dedicated access line from the end user's site to the nearest frame relay switch.
(d) Router Management
Sprint is responsible for installing/configuring the routers at Cognizant's customer's site in US and Europe and backbone sites in US and UK.
It is stated that Sprint provides equipment CSU/DSU (Customer Service Equipment/Digital Service Equipment) for terminating the circuits in Cognizant US Backbone and customer locations in US and Europe.
The payment to Sprint includes router rental charges, router management charges, router maintenance charges, software initialization charges, router installation charges.
After analyzing the nature of services provided by Sprint USA to the assessee, customer service agreement and services level agreement, the ITO (International Taxation-II) vide his order u/s.201(1) and 201(1A) held that the payments made to the nonresidents company constitutes 'Royalty' for use of telecommunication equipment and other services under the provisions of Income Tax Act. On the contrary, the stand of the assessee is that the remittances made by the assessee constitute payments for usage charges, recurring charges installation charges and also non usage charges which include service fee, access fee and equipment. The ld.Counsel for the assessee in order to support his contentions furnished customer service agreement with M/s. Sprint USA, copies of invoice raised by M/s. Sprint USA and copy of M/s. Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited [VSNL].
2.1 Aggrieved against the said order, the assessee preferred an appeal before the CIT(Appeals). The CIT(Appeals) held that the payments made by the assessee were for international telecommunication services which is a standard facility or service providing to all those willing to pay. The assessee does not get any right to use any goods/equipment provided in such transmission. Therefore, the payments made to the overseas company is not in the nature of 'Royalty' for the use of equipment. The CIT(Appeals) further held that M/s. Sprint USA does not have any Permanent Establishment [PE] in India. The income of the Sprint is in the nature of business income as it provides only 'service' to the assessee as the assessee has not taken any equipment on lease. In the absence of PE for the services rendered by Sprint, there is no necessity to pay taxes in India and as such the assessee is under no obligation to deduct tax u/s.195 of the Act while making payments.
2.2 Aggrieved by the order of CIT(Appeals), the Revenue has come in appeal before the Tribunal. The ld.DR vehemently supporting the order of ITO (International Taxation) submitted that the payments made to M/s. Sprint USA are in the nature of 'Royalty'. In order to support his contentions, the ld.DR relied on the recent judgment of the Hon'ble Madras High Court in the case of M/s.Verizon Communications Singapore PTE Ltd., Vs. ITO (International Taxation) reported as 361 ITR 575 (Mad) = 2013-TII-48-HC-MAD-INTL.
2.3 On the other hand, Shri Saroj Kumar, Advocate appearing on behalf of the assessee strongly supported the order of CIT(Appeals) and prayed for dismissal of the appeal of the Revenue.
2.4 We have heard the submissions made by the representatives of both the sides and have perused the orders of the authorities below. We have also examined the judgment of the Hon'ble jurisdictional High Court in the case of M/s. Verizon Communications Singapore PTE Ltd., Vs. ITO (International Taxation) (supra). We find that the issue in dispute is identical to the one adjudicated by the Hon'ble High Court in the aforesaid case. Similar issue, "Whether the services provided by the overseas company constitutes 'Royalty' or not"? came up before the Hon'ble High Court. In the said case, the non-resident company was engaged in the business of providing international connectivity services (bandwidth services/telecom services) in the Asia Pacific region including India for transmission of data and voice. The international leg of telecommunication services outside India was provided by the non-resident company. In Indian territory, the connecting services were provided by VSNL. VSNL transmitted the traffic of the customer in India from the customers office in India to a virtual point outside India and the non-resident company transmitted it up to the customer location outside India. The non-resident company used its telecom service equipment situated outside India in providing international half circuit. The gateway/landing station in India used in transmitting the traffic within India belong to VSNL and was used by VSNL for providing Indian end services in accordance with the contract with its customers.
The Assessing Officer came to the conclusion that the payment received by the non-resident company in providing international private leased circuit was taxable as a 'Royalty' for use or right to use commercial and scientific equipment u/s.9(1)(vi) of the Act read with explanation-2 and Article 12(3) of the Doubt Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Singapore. In first appeal, the order of the assessee was upheld by the CIT(Appeals). On further appeal, the Tribunal held that even if the payments were treated as non-relating to the use of equipment, they should be considered as payment for the use of the process provided by the assessee, whereby through the assured bandwidth, the customer is guaranteed the transmission of data and the voice. The fact that the bandwidth is shared with others, however, has to be seen in the light of the technology governing the operation of the process and this by itself does not take the assessee out of the scope of royalty. Thus, the consideration being for the use and right to use of the process, it is 'Royalty', within the meaning of Clause-(iii) of Explanation-2 to section 9(1)(vi) of the Act. The Hon'ble High Court affirmed the findings of the Tribunal on the issue.
2.5 The facts in the present case are identical to the one adjudicated by the Hon'ble High Court. Thus, in view of the facts and circumstances of the case and the law laid down by the Hon'ble jurisdictional High Court, we find merit in the appeals of the Revenue. Accordingly, both the appeals of the Revenue are allowed.
3. ITA No.460/Mds/2010 (AY.2002-03) & C.O.No.27/Mds/2010:
The Revenue has raised as many as six grounds in its appeal. Ground Nos. 1 & 6 are general in nature and as such they are not taken up for adjudication.
3.1 The ground No.2 relates to exclusion of foreign currency expenditure from export turnover and total turnover while computing deduction u/s.10A of the Act. The ld.Counsel for the assessee submitted at the outset that the ground raised in appeal by the Revenue has already been adjudicated by the co-ordinate Bench of the Tribunal in favour of the assessee in ITA No.114/Mds/2011 (AY.2005-06) decided on 23-01-2013 = 2013-TIOL-745-ITAT-MAD. The ld.AR placed on record the copy of the order of the Tribunal in the aforesaid appeal. The co-ordinate bench of the Tribunal following the decision of Hyderabad Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Patni Telecom P. Ltd., Vs. ITO reported as 308 ITR (AT) 414 (Hyderabad) = 2008-TIOL-665-ITAT-HYD wherein it was held that expenses incurred in foreign exchange, as part of the export carried out by the assessee, cannot be excluded from the export turnover. The Chennai Bench held that the facts of the assessee's case are exactly similar to the facts in the case of Patni Telecom P. Ltd., Vs. ITO (supra) and directed the Assessing Officer to include foreign currency expenditure to form part of export turnover of the assessee in computing deduction u/s.10A of the Act. We find that in the AY under consideration, there is no change in the facts and thus the same ratio can be applied in AY.2002-03 as well. Accordingly, this ground of appeal of the Revenue is dismissed.
3.2 The ground No.3 raised in appeal by the Revenue is exclusion of telecommunication expenses from export turnover and total turnover while computing deduction u/s.10A. Following the same principle as laid down by the Hyderabad Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Patni Telecom P. Ltd., Vs. ITO (supra), we dismiss this ground of appeal of the Revenue.
3.3 In Ground No.4, the Revenue has assailed the findings of CIT(Appeals) for deleting the disallowance u/s.40(a)(i) in respect of payments made to M/s.Sprint USA towards lease line charges. The CIT(Appeals) deleted the disallowance u/s.40a(ia) for nondeduction of tax at source on payments made to M/s. Sprint USA for the reasons that, the CIT(Appeals)-XI, Chennai vide order dt.06-07-2009 passed u/s.201(1) and 201(1A) for the relevant AY has held that the assessee was under no obligation to deduct tax u/s.195 while making such payments as M/s.Sprint USA had no PE in India. Since, the said order of the CIT(Appeals)-XI, Chennai has been set aside by us, in the appeal of the Revenue in ITA No.1535/Mds/2009, this ground of appeal of the Revenue has to be allowed.
3.4 Ground No.5 raised in appeal by the Revenue is with regard to levy of interest u/s.234D. The ld.Counsel for the assessee has submitted that the provisions regarding the levy of interest u/s.234D were inserted by the Finance Act, 2003 w.e.f. 01-06-2003, therefore they cannot be applied in the AY.2002-03.
It is an undisputed fact that the provisions of section 234D were inserted by the Finance Act, 2003 w.e.f.01-06-2003, therefore, they have no retrospective applicability. Moreover, the Special Bench of the Tribunal in the case of ITO Vs. Ekta Promoters P. Ltd., reported as 113 ITD 719 = 2008-TIOL-337-ITAT-DEL-SB has held that the interest u/s.234D is chargeable from AY.2004-05 onwards. Accordingly, this ground of appeal of the Revenue is dismissed.
3.5 In cross-objections, the assessee has primarily raised two issues. Issue No.1 relates to exclusion of foreign currency expenditure from export turnover and total turnover for computing deduction u/s.10A and 10B. This issue has already been decided in favour of the assessee in Revenue's appeal. Therefore, the first cross-objection has become infructuous and is dismissed as such.
3.6 The second issue is raised in cross-objection No.2 to 4. The assessee has supported the order of CIT(Appeals) with regard to the disallowance u/s.40(a)(i) in respect of payments made to M/s. Sprint USA towards lease line charges. Since this issue has been adjudicated in favour of the Revenue in ITA No.1535/Mds/2009, the assessee was liable to deduct tax u/s.195 of the Act on remittances made to M/s.Sprint USA. The Assessing Officer has rightly made disallowance u/s.40(a)(i) on such payments. Accordingly, cross-objections 2 to 4 are dismissed.
3.7 In result, the appeal of the Revenue is partly allowed and the Cross-objections of the assessee are dismissed.
4. ITA No.751/Mds/2010 (AY.2006-07) by Assessee and ITA No.864/Mds/2010 (AY.2006-07) by Revenue:
Both the appeals are directed against the order of CIT(Appeals), LTU dt.12-03-2010. The assessee in its appeal has raised as many as 19 grounds. Ground Nos.1 and 19 are general in nature and are thus not taken up for adjudication. Ground No.2 & 3 relate to exclusion of expenditure incurred in foreign currency from export turnover and Ground No.4 to 7 relate to exclusion of telecommunication expenditure from export turnover for the purpose of computing deduction u/s.10A. The issues raised by the assessee in above grounds of appeal have already been adjudicated in favour of the assessee in the appeal of the Revenue i.e., ITA No.460/Mds/2010. Reliance has been placed on the decision of Hyderabad Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Patni Telecom P. Ltd., Vs. ITO (supra) for deciding the issue in favour of the assessee. Both the issues in the present appeal are thus allowed. The Assessing Officer is directed to include foreign currency expenditure as well as telecommunication expenditure as part of the export turnover.
4.1 In Ground Nos. 8 to 13, the assessee has assailed the findings of CIT(Appeals) with respect to set off of current year's losses of eligible units against the profits of other units eligible for deduction u/s.10A. The ld.Counsel for the assessee in support of his submissions relied on the judgment of the Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of CIT & Anr. Vs. Yokogawa India Ltd. and Others, reported as 246 CTR (Kar) 226 = 2011-TIOL-711-HC-KAR-IT and the decision of the co-ordinate bench in assessee's own case in ITA No.114/Mds/2011 for the AY.2005-06 (supra). The relevant extract of the findings of the Tribunal are reproduced here under:
"In the present case the Assessing Officer adjusted the brought forward losses of the assessment year 2004-05 of the eligible units against the current year's profits of the eligible units before computing the deduction under section 10A. The very same issue was considered by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal, B-Bench, Chennai, in the case of RR Donnelley India Outsource Pvt. Ltd. vs DCIT, in ITA Nos.1489 & 1490(Mds)/2010. Through their order dated 26-7-2012 the Tribunal, following the decisions of the Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of CIT & Anr. Vs. Yokogawa India Ltd. and Others, 246 CTR (Kar) 226 = 2011-TIOL-711-HC-KAR-IT and in the case of CIT & Anr. Vs. Tata Elxsi Ltd. & Others, 247 CTR 334 = 2011-TIOL-684-HC-KAR-IT, has held that the current year's profit of the eligible units should not be reduced by setting off of the brought forward losses of earlier years even though relating to eligible units. The Assessing Officer has to give deduction under section 10A on eligible profits of the current assessment year. This issue is decided in favour of the assessee.
We find that in the AY under consideration, there has been identical set of facts and the issue in appeal is squarely covered by the findings of the co-ordinate bench of the Tribunal in ITA No.114/Mds/2011 for the AY.2005-06 (supra). Accordingly, this ground of appeal of the assessee is allowed.
4.2 The next issue raised in para Nos.14 to 17 in the grounds of appeal by the assessee relate to disallowance u/s.14A of the Act. The Assessing Officer has made disallowance u/s.14A by applying the provisions of Rule 8D on tax free income of Rs.3,80,10,340/-. The CIT(Appeals) upheld the findings of the Assessing Officer on the issue. The Hon'ble Bombay High Court in the case of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., reported as 328 ITR 81 (Bom) = 2010-TIOL-564-HC-MUM-IT has held that the provisions of Rule 8D are applicable w.e.f. AY.2008-09. The newly introduced provisions of Rule 8D have no retrospective applicability, the authorities below have erred in applying the same. The Tribunal in assessee's own case for the AY.2005-06 has upheld the action of the Assessing Officer in making the disallowance @2% of the exempt income. The Tribunal further accepted alternate contention of the aassessee that the profit for the purpose of section 10A will be enhanced to the extent of disallowance. Therefore, proportionate enhancement will be in the amount of deduction available u/s.10A. Respectfully following the same, we direct the Assessing Officer to disallow 2% of the exempt income u/s.14A and further make proportionate enhancement in the amount of deduction available u/s.10A. This ground of appeal of the assessee is partly allowed.
4.3 Ground Nos.18 in the appeal of the assessee relate to disallowance u/s.40(a)(i) in respect of professional/technical fee paid to Taras Consulting LLC and Epicor Software Pty. Ltd., both nonresident entities towards travel and other expenditure. The assessee's contention before Assessing Officer for not deducting tax on such payment u/s.195 was based on CBDT Circular No.786 dt.07-02-2000. However, the said circular has been withdrawn vide subsequent Circular No.7 of 2009. Even before CIT(Appeals), the assessee was unable to produce any details in support of its claim. Before us also, the ld.Counsel for the assessee has not been able to substantiate the claim of the assessee. Accordingly, this ground of appeal of the assessee is dismissed.
4.4 In view of our above findings, the appeal of the assessee is partly allowed.
5. ITA No.864/Mds/2010 (AY.2006-07):
The Revenue has raised six grounds in its appeal. Ground Nos.1 to 6 are general in nature and therefore they are not taken up for adjudication. Ground Nos.2 to 4 relate to exclusion of foreign currency expenditure and telecommunication expenditure from both export turnover and total turnover for the purpose of computing deduction u/s.10A. Both these issues are squarely covered in favour of the assessee by the decision of the Special Bench of the Tribunal in the case of CIT Vs. Saksoft Limited reported as 313 ITR (AT) (Madras) 553 = 2009-TIOL-187-ITAT-MAD-SB. The Special Bench has held that the expenses on freight, telecommunication charges or insurance attributable to the delivery of the articles or things or computer software outside India or expenses incurred in foreign exchange in providing technical services outside India which are required to be excluded from the export turnover should also be excluded from total turnover while computing deduction u/s.10B of the Act. Moreover, these issue have already been held in favour of the assessee in assessee's appeal No.751/Mds/2010 in para No.4 herein above. Accordingly, both the grounds in the appeal of the Revenue are dismissed.
5.1 In Ground No.5, the Revenue has assailed the order of CIT(Appeals) with respect to disallowance of provisions for expenses. The ld.DR has submitted that the CIT(Appeals) has erred in deleting the disallowance made by Assessing Officer to the tune of Rs.6,25,02,220/- towards various expenses on the ground that the expenses are contingent in nature and not pertaining to the AY under consideration.
On the other hand, the ld.Counsel for the assessee submitted that similar issue was raised by the Revenue in appeal before the Tribunal in ITA No.90/Mds/2011 for the AY.2005-06. The Tribunal vide order dt.23-01-2013 = 2013-TIOL-745-ITAT-MAD, dismissed this ground of appeal of the Revenue by placing reliance on the decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the case of Bharat Earth Movers Vs. CIT reported as 245 ITR 428 = 2002-TIOL-123-SC-IT.
We examined the order of the co-ordinate bench of the Tribunal in ITA No.90/Mds/2011 (supra) = 2013-TIOL-745-ITAT-MAD. We find that the issue in hand is identical to the one adjudicated by the Tribunal in assessee's case in the appeal of the Revenue for the AY.2005-06. The relevant extract of the findings of the Tribunal in the said appeal are under:
"4.3 The next ground of the Revenue is that the provision made by the assessee for liabilities of expenditure was in the nature of provision and should not have been allowed by the Commissioner of Income-tax(Appeals) as an expenditure in computing the income. The assessee is providing provision for expenditure incurred in the previous year itself. The amount was not paid by the end of the year and in certain cases bills were not received by the end of the year and in such cases the assessee is making a provision for such expenditure already incurred during the relevant previous year. In the course of the next previous year the assessee is making the payment and the differential amount, if any, is adjusted in its profit and loss account. This is a consistent practice followed by the assessee. The provision for unpaid expenses is not in the nature of contingent expenditure. It is a provision made against actual expenditure. Therefore, the decision of the Hon'ble supreme Court rendered in the case of Bharat Earth Movers vs. CIT, 245 ITR 428 = 2002-TIOL-123-SC-IT, squarely applies here. The ground of the Revenue is dismissed".
Accordingly, this ground of appeal of the Revenue is dismissed for similar reasons.
5.2 In the result, the appeal of the Revenue is dismissed.
6. ITA No.1922/Mds/2010 (AY.2006-07):
In this appeal, the Revenue has assailed the order of CIT(Appeals), LTU Chennai dt. 31-08-2010 passed u/s.154 of the Act. The assessee had filed Miscellaneous Petition for rectification of the order dt.12-03-2010 passed by the CIT(Appeals), LTU, Chennai in ITA No.35/09-10/LTU(A) for the AY.2006-07. The CIT(Appeals) vide impugned order held that the issue raised in ground No.13 of the appeal was not adjudicated. The CIT(Appeals) while disposing off Miscellaneous Petition of the assessee decided the said ground. The relevant extract of the findings of the CIT(Appeals) are as under:
"5.1 I have carefully considered the petition by the appellant on this issue. I find that this ground (ground No.13) has not been adjudicated. Since separate expense has not been claimed by the appellant for earning of the dividend income, it may be accepted that the same was incurred from the business expenses. When part of the same is disallowed, business income would correspondingly increase. The AO is directed to allow enhanced deduction in respect of the additional income due to the disallowance of the expense. He is, however, directed to bifurcate the same between the income eligible for deduction u/s.10A and income which is not eligible for deduction u/s.10A. This ground is partly allowed".
6.1 The Revenue has come up in appeal against the aforesaid findings of the CIT(Appeals). We observe that the issue raised in appeal has already been adjudicated by us in the appeal of the assessee in ITA No.751/Mds/2010 in para No. 4.2 herein above. Therefore, for the reasons mentioned therein, the appeal of the Revenue is dismissed.
7. To sum up, ITA Nos. 1535/Mds/2009 and 1536/Mds/2009 of the Revenue are allowed. ITA No.460/Mds/2010 of the Revenue is partly allowed and C.O.No.27/Mds/2010 of the assessee is dismissed. The appeal of the assessee in ITA No.751/Mds/2010 is partly allowed. The appeals of the Revenue in ITA Nos.864/Mds/2010 and 1922/Mds/2010 are dismissed.




 
 

Saturday, March 8, 2014

CBDT Instruction On TDS Obligation U/s 195 On Payment To Non-Residents

CBDT Instruction On TDS Obligation U/s 195 On Payment To Non-Residents

 
The CBDT has issued Instruction No. 02/2014 dated 26.02.2014 in which it has referred to the judgements of the Supreme Court in Transmission Corp of A. P. 299 ITR 587 and GE India Technology Pvt. Ltd 327 ITR 456 on the issue of deduction of tax at source u/s 195 while making payments to non-residents. The CBDT has directed AOs u/s 119 that in a case where the assessee fails to deduct TDS u/s 195, the AO cannot treat the whole sum remitted to the non-resident as being chargeable to tax but he has to determine the appropriate proportion of the sum chargeable to tax as mentioned in s. 195(1) for treating the assessee as being in default u/s 201.
 
Please click the following link for the copy of the Instruction from CBDT.
 
 
or
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Payment for Software purchased for bundling with its own software - Not a Royalty - No Tax withholding

Infotech Enterprises Limited v Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, 03 February 2014
 
In favour of: The assessee; Royalty — Software — India–Netherlands DTAA — Article 12 — Assessee purchased software from Dutch company and bundled it with its own software to be sold to its own customers, both in India and abroad — As payment is made to a non-resident company, AO held that payment represented royalty to Dutch company and not purchase price — AO noticed that tax was not deducted at source u/s 195(1), and thus disallowed expenditure u/s 40(a)(i) — DRP upheld order of AO — Held, amount in question is not taxable u/s 9(1)(i) — Even if it is assumed that there is a business connection between assessee and foreign software supplier, there are no operations in India of foreign company to which income may be reasonably attributed — Assessee cannot meddle with copies of software in process of its customisation — Thus, payments made by assessee to Netherlands company will not fall under ambit of Royalty as per Art 12 of India–Netherlands DTAA — Hence, there is no question of tax withholding required by assessee and hence s 40(a)(i) disallowance is erroneous.

ITA No 115/Hyd/2011 and 2184/Hyd/2011,

Assessment Years: 2006–2007 and 2007–2008,

B Ramakotaiah, AM and Asha Vijayaraghavan, JM,

Decided on: 16 January 2014.

Held:
The decision in the case of GE India Technology Centre Pvt Ltd v CIT 327 ITR 456 has clearly stated that the obligation to deduct tax at source is however limited to appropriate proportion of income chargeable under the Act forming part of the gross sum of money payable to the non-resident. In other words, if the tax is not so assessable, there is no question of tax at source being deducted. Hence, the short point is that one has to see whether the amount of ₨ 52,55,881 represents amount chargeable to tax in the hands of the non-resident both in terms of s 9(1)(i) and 9(1)(vi) of the IT Act and also DTAA between India and Netherlands. (Para 24)
 
The amount in question is not taxable u/s 9(1)(i) because even assuming for a moment there is a business connection between the assessee and the foreign software supplier there are no operations in India of the foreign company to which income may be reasonably attributed to as required under Explanation 1(a) to s 9(1)(i). Hence there is no applicability of s 9(1)(i) in the instant case. (Para 25)
 
ITAT was of the opinion that they are simply purchase cost of trading goods especially when the licence in respect of software is not obtained by the assessee and the perpetual licence is given directly to the end customer by the vendor company. Copies of the invoice raised by Net Work Solutions on the assessee support the view of the assessee where the invoice mentioning name of the end customer supports. Hence, when there is no transfer of even the license to the assessee even though it is the purchaser, it cannot be said that there is any royalty payment by the assessee to the vendor company. The amount of ₨ 52,55,81 is simply the cost of imported trading goods and not royalty payment. (Para 26)
 
It is therefore clear that the payments made by assessee to the Netherlands company will not fall under the ambit of Royalty as per Art 12 of the India–Netherlands DTAA. Hence there is no question of tax withholding required by the assessee and hence s 40(a)(i) disallowance is erroneous. (Para 27)
 
Ratio decidendi:
 
When the assessee purchased the software from the foreign company and bundled it with its own software without customising it to sell it to its own customers, the purchase consideration cannot be treated as Royalty u/s 9(1)(vi).
 
In favour of: The assessee; Non-Resident — Business Connection — Fee for technical services — Assessee entered into agreements with foreign AEs for supply and services of computer software — Assessee incurred expenditure towards technical consultancy charges paid in foreign exchange to AEs outside India — AO held that assessee had habitually engaged its subsidiaries to render software services and consultancy services to foreign parties abroad and that foreign subsidiaries were paid periodically by taxpayer for services rendered — AO thus held income of subsidiaries as deemed to have been accrued or arisen in India during year and applied provisions of s 9(1)(i) and accordingly, non-resident companies had business connection with taxpayer — While dealing with communication expenses, AO opined that payments made by taxpayer are in nature of fees for technical services and consequently, provisions of s 195 are applicable and disallowed amount for non-deduction of tax at source — DRP upheld action of AO — Held, assessee has not canvassed/secured any orders for its non-resident subsidiaries, hence, s 9(1)(i) cannot be invoked — Under Act, payments made to subsidiaries may be construed as Fees for Technical Services, however this is only due to fact of retrospective amendment by Finance Act 2010 — At time of payment, case of Ishikawajima-Harima was law of land and twin condition laid down of rendering and utilising technical service in India was not satisfied in assessee’s case as foreign subsidiaries rendered service which was utilised by clients — Thus, assessee could have been of bonafide belief that TDS was not necessary on payments to foreign subsidiaries — Furthermore, assessee could not have been expected to know that TDS should have been deducted in accordance with a law that was to be brought in subsequently — Hence any disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) based on application of a retrospective amendment which assessee could not have foreseen is erroneous — Hence disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) cannot be upheld.

Held:
 
With respect to IEAI USA, factually the assessee has secured the orders from PRATT (PWC) for its own benefit and it only parceled out a portion of the work entrusted to it by PRATT & WHITNEY to IEAI USA. The said Explanation to s 9(1)(i) can be invoked only when the Indian company secures orders for the benefit of non-resident. In the present case, the assessee has not canvassed/secured any orders for its non-resident subsidiaries. Hence, s 9(1)(i) cannot be invoked. (Para 36)
 
Assessee obtained orders on its own behalf and it has only parcelled out a portion of its work to its foreign subsidiaries. As per the terms of the agreement, the assessee “shall release the work order” before the commencement of the work by IEAI USA and each work order shall be supported by end customers order copy. (Para 37)
 
Operation transactions were effected at arms length price. Foreign subsidiaries do not work exclusively for the assessee and they obtain orders on their own from other foreign parties and also sub contract the work to the assessee depending on exigencies. (Para 38)
 
No operations have been undertaken by foreign subsidiaries in India and no engineers have been deputed by them to India and even they do not have permanent establishment in India. In terms of the respective DTAA, no income of the foreign subsidiary is taxable in India in terms of either s 9(1)(i) or the concerned Articles relating to business profits (Art 7 rw Art 5) in the respective DTAAs. As submitted by the assessee, the Board Circular No 29 dated 27 March 1969 is inapplicable to the present case as the example given by the Board, the non-resident is the parent company whereas, in the present case, the Indian Company is the parent company and the assessee has not sold the products of its US subsidiaries or any other foreign subsidiaries. The contention of the assessee that the rate of tax in India is lesser than the rates in USA is also well taken. Hence there is no income taxable in India u/s 9(1)(i) and hence no requirement for TDS and there can be no application of s 40(a)(i). (Para 39)
 
DRP in its order seem to have held that the entire amount paid by assessee to its foreign companies may be regarded as Fees for Technical Services u/s 9(1)(vii). Firstly, under the Act, the payments made to the subsidiaries may indeed be construed as Fees for Technical Services. However this is only due to the fact of the retrospective amendment by Finance Act 2010. (Para 41)
 
At the time of the payment in the instant case Ishikawajima-Harima was the law of the land and the twin condition laid down of rendering and utilising the technical service in India was clearly not satisfied in the assessee’s case as the foreign subsidiaries rendered the service which was utilised by the clients (such as PWC). Thus the assessee could have been of the bonafide belief that TDS was not necessary on payments to the foreign subsidiaries. Furthermore, the assessee could not have been expected to know that TDS should have been deducted in accordance with a law that was to be brought in subsequently. Hence any disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) based on the application of a retrospective amendment which the assessee could not have foreseen is wholly erroneous. Hence under the Act the disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) for FTS payments cannot be upheld. (Para 42)
 
Even under the India–USA and India–UK treaties (not the India–Germany treaty though) due to the presence of the “make available” clause in these two Treaties the payments made by the assessee will not fall under FTS. This is because no technical knowledge has been made available by the non-resident to the assessee. Further, no technical plan or technical design placement has been transferred by US subsidiary to the assessee. What IEAI did was only in fulfilment of contractual requirement with PRATT & WHITNEY and not for the benefit of the assessee. The non-resident has simply executed the portion of work parcelled out to it by the assessee. (Para 43)
 
In the instant case, the UK and USA subsidiaries did only contractual work parcelled out to it whose results were given to clients directly and no technical knowledge was made available to assessee. Hence, even under the respective DTAA, the payments made to UK and US subsidiaries/companies would not fall under the ambit of FTS. (Para 44)
 
In any case, as we have shown above, under the IT Act, none of the payments made by the assessee can be disallowed u/s 40(a)(i) based on effect of retrospective amendment of Explanation to s 9(1). (Para 47)
 
Ratio decidendi:
 
Disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) cannot be made based on the application of a retrospective amendment which the assessee could not have foreseen.

 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Non-exclusive & non-transferable license to use customized software not taxable as “royalty” - Delhi HC


Contrast to decision of Karnataka HC in Samsung Electronics 345 ITR 494, Delhi HC has held that ‘Payment for non-exclusive & non-transferable license to use ‘Software’ is not taxable as royalty under India-US DTAA.  

This goes against the basis applied in Reliance Infocom/ Lucent Technologies (ITAT Mum) where it was held that Ericson AB 343 ITR 370 (Del) & Nokia Networks OY 25 taxmann.com 225 applied only to cases where the software was embedded in the hardware and not to pure license cases.
 

Conclusion is, CONFUSION STILL PREVAILS.

 


The assessee, a USA company, set up a branch office in India for the supply of software called “MX”. The software was customized for the requirements of the customer (not “shrink wrap”). The Indian branch imported the software package in the form of floppy disks or CDs and delivered it to the customer. It also installed the software and trained the customers. The AO & CIT(A) held that the software was a “copyright” and the income from its license was assessable as “royalty” under Article 12 of the India-USA DTAA. On appeal by the assessee, the Tribunal held, following Motorola 270 ITR (AT) (SB) 62, that the income from license of software was not taxable as “royalty”. Before the High Court, the Department argued that in view of CIT vs. Samsung Electronics 345 ITR 494 (Kar), the right to make a copy of the software and storing it amounted to copyright work u/s 14(1) of the Copyright Act and payment made for the grant of a license for the said purpose would constitute royalty. HELD by the High Court dismissing the appeal:

 

In order to qualify as a royalty payment under Article 12(3) of the India-USA DTAA, it is necessary to establish that there is a transfer of all or any rights (including the granting of any licence) in respect of a copyright of a literary, artistic or scientific work. There is a clear distinction between royalty paid on transfer of copyright rights and consideration for transfer of copyrighted articles. Right to use a copyrighted article or product with the owner retaining his copyright, is not the same thing as transferring or assigning rights in relation to the copyright. The enjoyment of some or all the rights which the copyright owner has, is necessary to invoke the royalty definition. Viewed from this angle, a non-exclusive and non-transferable licence enabling the use of a copyrighted product cannot be construed as an authority to enjoy any or all of the enumerated rights ingrained in Article 12 of DTAA. Where the purpose of the licence or the transaction is only to restrict use of the copyrighted product for internal business purpose, it would not be legally correct to state that the copyright itself or right to use copyright has been transferred to any extent. The parting of intellectual property rights inherent in and attached to the software product in favour of the licensee/customer is what is contemplated by the Treaty. Merely authorizing or enabling a customer to have the benefit of data or instructions contained therein without any further right to deal with them independently does not, amount to transfer of rights in relation to copyright or conferment of the right of using the copyright. The transfer of rights in or over copyright or the conferment of the right of use of copyright implies that the transferee/licensee should acquire rights either in entirety or partially co-extensive with the owner/ transferor who divests himself of the rights he possesses pro tanto. The license granted to the licensee permitting him to download the computer programme and storing it in the computer for his own use is only incidental to the facility extended to the licensee to make use of the copyrighted product for his internal business purpose. The said process is necessary to make the programme functional and to have access to it and is qualitatively different from the right contemplated by Article 12 because it is only integral to the use of copyrighted product. Apart from such incidental facility, the licensee has no right to deal with the product just as the owner would be in a position to do. Consequently there is no transfer of any right in respect of copyright by the assessee and it is a case of mere transfer of a copyrighted article. The payment is for a copyrighted article and represents the purchase price of an article and cannot be considered as royalty either under the Income-tax Act or under the DTAA (Ericson AB 343 ITR 370 (Del) & Nokia Networks OY 25 taxmann.com 225 followed; Samsung Electronics 345 ITR 494 (Kar) not followed)
 
Source: ITAT Online

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