India’s Ministry of Finance recently amended service tax rules related to online information and database access or retrieval (OIDAR) services.
The government said it is imposing a 15% tax on downloads and purchases of digital goods from offshore retailers.
Here are some key changes, effective from December 1, 2016: (more…)
The treaty signed between India and Mauritius in 1983, a decade before India opened its door to foreign investors made Mauritius the most favored route to invest in India. Many foreign companies incorporated a holding company in Mauritius which held shares in an Indian company. The sale of shares in Indian company would not result in capital gains tax in India and Mauritius- thereby making it a preferred vehicle for foreign investment.
According to government data, from 2000 – 2015, about $94 billion, a third of all foreign direct investment into India, came via Mauritius. It was a boon to the Indian economy at the brink of liberalization in 1990’s, but gave rise to “round tripping” i.e., Income on which taxes were not paid was routed via Mauritius companies to avoid tax, revenue loss and treaty abuse. (more…)
Financial Accounting
FASB Simplifies Reporting for Share Based Payments
Yet another simplification initiative from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), especially for nonpublic companies, arrives in the form of ASU 2016-09 Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting and quite likely offers welcome relief for technology companies around the Silicon Valley. Some of the key simplification measures under this guidance that is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 for nonpublic companies and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 for public companies are: (more…)
India’s Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) recently clarified that income from the transfer of unlisted shares will be taxed as a lower rate capital gain rather than as business income.
The tax department’s move is aimed at avoiding tax disputes/litigation and maintaining a uniform approach. However, such treatment isn’t applicable in situations where:
