Govt inks cope with US to section out equalisation levy

Signing a pact for the transition from equalisation levy, India and the US on Wednesday agreed for a transitional method on equalisation levy or digital tax on e-commerce provides starting April 1, the Finance Ministry stated on Wednesday.
“India and the United States have agreed to the same terms … shall apply between the United States and India with respect to India’s charge of 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce supply of services and the United States’ trade action regarding the said Equalisation Levy. However, the interim period that will be applicable will be from April 1, 2022, till implementation of Pillar One or March 31, 2024, whichever is earlier,” the Ministry stated in a press release. “This compromise represents a pragmatic solution that helps ensure that countries can focus their collective efforts on the successful implementation of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework’s historic agreement on a new multilateral tax regime and allows for the termination of trade measures adopted in response to the Indian equalization levy,” the US authorities stated in its assertion.
On October 8 this yr, 136 nations, together with India, agreed to implement a minimal company tax price of 15 per cent, in addition to an equitable system of taxing income of massive firms in markets the place they’re earned. The deal requires nations to take away all digital companies tax and different related unilateral measures.

ExplainedPart of settlementIndia is among the many 136 nations to have agreed to implement a minimal company tax price. The deal requires nations to take away all digital companies tax and different related unilateral measures.

The proposed two-pillar resolution of the worldwide tax deal consists of two elements — Pillar One, which is about reallocation of a further share of revenue to the market jurisdictions and Pillar Two, consisting of minimal tax and topic to tax guidelines.
On October 21, the United States, Austria, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom agreed on a transitional method to present unilateral measures whereas implementing Pillar one.

The closing phrases of the settlement between India and the US shall be finalised by February 1, 2022, the Ministry added.
The US had earlier performed a year-long investigation starting in June 2020 into digital companies taxes, stating that they’re towards tech firms like Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook. It had stated that the digital companies taxes adopted by Austria, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom discriminated towards US digital firms and had been inconsistent with ideas of worldwide taxation and burdened US firms. Tax specialists stated it should put to relaxation the commerce battle between India-US due to digital service taxes and will definitely facilitate ongoing commerce negotiations between the nations.

Nangia Andersen India chairman Rakesh Nangia stated to the extent that taxes that accrue to India with respect to Equalisation Levy beginning April 1, 2022, until March 31, 2024, or when Pillar One takes impact, whichever is earlier, exceed an quantity equal to the tax due beneath Pillar One within the first full yr of implementation (prorated to attain proportionality with the size of the interim interval), such extra will probably be creditable towards the portion of the company earnings tax legal responsibility related to Amount A as computed beneath Pillar One in these nations, respectively.
“…interestingly, 6% EL on online ad revenue does not form a part of this deal. While the fine print is awaited, one can take guidance from the deal that the US entered into with the UK, Austria, France, Italy and Spain in October, 2021,” Gouri Puri, associate, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co stated.