The new Indian Government placed its maiden Budget, for consideration and passing before Parliament of India on July 10, 2014. The Budget contains a number of proposals to improve business climate, encourage foreign investment, and bring a transparent and non-discriminatory regulatory regime for investors. The key excerpts from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s speech in the Indian Parliament on July 10 may be seen here:

Goods and Services Tax

The debate whether to introduce a Goods and Services Tax (GST) must now come to an end. We have discussed the issue for the past many years. Some States have been apprehensive about surrendering their taxation jurisdiction; others want to be adequately compensated. I have discussed the matter with the States both individually and collectively. I do hope we are able to find a solution in the course of this year and approve the legislative scheme which enables the introduction of GST. This will streamline the tax administration, avoid harassment of the business and result in higher revenue collection both for the Centre and the States. I assure all States that government will be more than fair in dealing with them.

Tax Administration

The sovereign right of the Government to undertake retrospective legislation is unquestionable. However, this power has to be exercised with extreme caution and judiciousness keeping in mind the impact of each such measure on the economy and the overall investment climate…At this juncture I would like to convey to this august House and also the investors community at large that we are committed to provide a stable and predictable taxation regime that would be investor friendly and spur growth. Keeping this in mind, we have decided that henceforth, all fresh cases arising out of the retrospective amendments of 2012 in respect of indirect transfers and coming to the notice of the Assessing Officers will be scrutinized by a High Level Committee to be constituted by the Central Board of Direct Taxes before any action is initiated in such cases.

I propose to set up a High Level Committee to interact with trade and industry on a regular basis and ascertain areas where clarity in tax laws is required.

Transfer Pricing

Transfer Pricing is a major area of litigation for both resident and non-resident taxpayers. In order to reduce litigation on transfer pricing issues, I propose to make certain changes in Transfer Pricing regulations.

(1)  An Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) scheme was introduced in the year 2012. It has received good response. I propose to strengthen the administrative set up of APA to expedite disposal of applications. Further, I propose to introduce a “Roll Back” provision in the APA scheme so that an APA entered into for future transactions may also be applied to international transactions undertaken in previous four years in specified circumstances.

(2)  In order to align Transfer Pricing regulations in India with the best available practices, I propose to introduce range concept for determination of arm’s length price. However, the arithmetic mean concept will continue to apply where number of comparable is inadequate. The relevant data is under analysis and appropriate rules will be prescribed.

(3)  As per existing provisions of Transfer Pricing Regulations, only one year data is allowed to be used for comparable analysis with some exception. I propose to amend the regulations to allow use of multiple year data.

Necessary legislative amendments to give effect to the above proposals including those relating to the Authority for Advance Rulings and Income-tax Settlement Commission will be moved in the current session of the Parliament

Foreign Direct Investment

The policy of the NDA Government is to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) selectively in sectors where it helps the larger interest of the Indian Economy. FDI in several sectors is an additionality of resource which helps in promoting domestic manufacture and job creation. India today needs a boost for job creation. Our manufacturing sector in particular needs a push for job creation.

Defence

India today is the largest buyer of Defence equipment in the world. Our domestic manufacturing capacities are still at a nascent stage. We are buying substantial part of our Defence requirements directly from foreign players. Companies controlled by foreign governments and foreign private sector are supplying our Defence requirements to us at a considerable outflow of foreign exchange. Currently we permit 26 per cent FDI in Defence manufacturing. The composite cap of foreign exchange is being raised to 49 per cent with full Indian management and control through the FIPB route.

Insurance

The Insurance sector is investment starved. Several segments of the Insurance sector need an expansion. The composite cap in the Insurance sector is proposed to be increased up to 49 per cent from the current level of 26 per cent, with full Indian management and control, through the FIPB route.

To encourage development of Smart Cities, which will also provide habitation for the neo-middle class, requirement of the built up area and capital conditions for FDI is being reduced from 50,000 square metres to 20,000 square metres and from USD 10 million to USD 5 million respectively with a three year post completion lock in.

To further encourage this, projects which commit at least 30 per cent of the total project cost for low cost affordable housing will be exempted from minimum built up area and capitalisation requirements, with the condition of three year lock-in.

FDI in the manufacturing sector is today on the automatic route. The manufacturing units will be allowed to sell its products through retail including E-commerce platforms without any additional approval.

e-Visa

Tourism is one of the larger job creators globally. Many economies world over are supported by tourism. In order to give a major boost to tourism in India, the facility of Electronic Travel Authorization (e-Visa) would be introduced in a phased manner at nine airports in India where necessary infrastructure would be put in place within the next six months. The countries to which the Electronic Travel authorisation facility would be extended would be identified in a phased manner.

REITs &InvITs

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) have been successfully used as instruments for pooling of investment in several countries. I intend to provide necessary incentives for REITS which will have pass through for the purpose of taxation. As an innovation, a modified REITS type structure for infrastructure projects is also being announced as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), which would have a similar tax efficient pass through status, for PPP and other infrastructure projects. These structures would reduce the pressure on the banking system while also making available fresh equity. I am confident these two instruments would attract long term finance from foreign and domestic sources including the NRIs.

INDUSTRY

The eBiz platform aims to create a business and investor friendly ecosystem in India by making all business and investment related clearances and compliances available on a 24x7 single portal, with an integrated payment gateway. All Central Government Departments and Ministries will integrate their services with the eBiz platform on priority by 31 December this year.

A National Industrial Corridor Authority, with its headquarters in Pune, is being set up to coordinate the development of the industrial corridors, with smart cities linked to transport connectivity, which will be the cornerstone of the strategy to drive India’s growth in manufacturing and urbanization. I have provided an initial corpus of USD 16.7 mn for this purpose.

Special Economic Zones

The Government is committed to revive the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and make them effective instruments of industrial production, economic growth, export promotion and employment generation. For achieving this, effective steps would be undertaken to operationalize the Special Economic Zones, to revive the investors’ interest to develop better infrastructure and to effectively and efficiently use the available unutilized land.

New & Renewable Energy

New and Renewable energy deserves a very high priority. It is proposed to take up Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Laddakh in J&K. I have set aside a sum of USD 83.5 mn for this. We are launching a scheme for solar power driven agricultural pump sets and water pumping stations for energizing one lakh pumps. I propose to allocate a sum of USD 66.8 mn for this purpose. An additional USD 16.7 mn is set aside for the development of 1 MW Solar Parks on the banks of canals. Implementation of the Green Energy Corridor Project will be accelerated in this financial year to facilitate evacuation of renewable energy across the country.

Petroleum & Natural Gas

The usage of PNG will be rapidly scaled up in a Mission mode as it is “clean” and efficient to deliver.

FINANCIAL SECTOR

Capital Markets

While the impact of the above measures will be felt in the medium term, towards the same objective, I propose to:

i.    Advise financial sector regulators to take early steps for a vibrant, deep and liquid corporate bond market and deepen the currency derivatives market by eliminating unnecessary restrictions.

ii.   Extend a liberalized facility of 5% withholding tax to all bonds issued by Indian corporate abroad for all sectors and extend the validity of the scheme to 30.06.2017.

iii.  Liberalize the ADR/GDR regime to allow issuance of depository receipts on all permissible securities.

iv.  Allow international settlement of Indian debt securities.

v.   Completely revamp the Indian Depository Receipt (IDR) and introduce a much more liberal and ambitious Bharat Depository Receipt (BhDR).

vi.  Clarify the tax treatment on income of foreign fund whose fund managers are located in India to resolve a long-standing problem.

The Indian capital markets have been a source of risk capital for a growing India. I propose to take a number of measures to further energize these markets including:

i.    Introduction of uniform KYC norms and inter-usability of the KYC records across the entire financial sector.

ii.   Introduce one single operating demat account so that Indian financial sector consumers can access and transact all financial assets through this one account.

There is an urgent need to converge the current Indian accounting standards with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). I propose for adoption of the new Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS) by the Indian companies from the financial year 2015-16 voluntarily and from the financial year 2016-17 on a mandatory basis. Based on the international consensus, the regulators will separately notify the date of implementation of AS Ind for the Banks, Insurance companies etc. Standards for the computation of tax would be notified separately.

Insurance Sector

As part of the legislative initiatives under financial sector reforms, it is proposed to bridge the regulatory gap under the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme (Banning) Act, 1978. This step is expected to facilitate effective regulation of companies and entities which have duped a large number of poor and vulnerable people in this country.

TAXES AND DUTIES

We need to maximize our utilization of solar power. The existing duty structure incentivizes imports rather than domestic manufacture of solar photovoltaic cells and modules. Therefore, I propose to exempt from basic customs duty:

• specified inputs for use in the manufacture of EVA sheets and back sheets;
• flat copper wire for the manufacture of PV ribbons.

A concessional basic customs duty of 5 percent is also being extended to machinery and equipment required for setting up of a project for solar energy production.

To promote wind energy, I propose to reduce the basic customs duty from 10 percent to 5 percent on forged steel rings used in the manufacture of bearings of wind operated electricity generators.

To develop renewable sources of energy, I propose to exempt from excise duty:

• EVA sheets and solar back sheets and specified inputs used in their manufacture;
• solar tempered glass used in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic cells and modules;
• flat copper wire for the manufacture of PV ribbons for use in solar cells and modules;
• machinery and equipment required for setting up of a project for solar energy production;
• forged steel rings used in the manufacture of bearings of wind operated generators;
• machinery and equipment required for setting up of compressed biogas plants (Bio-CNG).

Clean Energy Cess is presently levied on coal, peat and lignite for the purposes of financing and promoting clean energy initiatives and funding research in the area of clean energy. I propose to expand the scope of purposes of levying the said cess to include financing and promoting clean environment initiatives and funding research in the area of clean environment. To finance these additional initiatives, I propose to increase the Clean Energy Cess from USD 0.8 per tonne to USD 1.6 per tonne.

Faster clearance of import and export cargo reduces transaction costs and improves business competitiveness. To help achieve these objectives, measures are being initiated to extend the existing 24x7 customs clearance facility to 13 more airports in respect of all export goods and to 14 more sea ports in respect of specified import and export goods.

It is also proposed to implement an ‘Indian Customs Single Window Project’ to facilitate trade. Under this, importers and exporters would lodge their clearance documents at a single point only. Required permissions, if any, from other regulatory agencies would be obtained online without the trader having to approach these agencies. This would reduce interface with Governmental agencies, dwell time and the cost of doing business.

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