Introduction of Transfer Pricing Regulations
The Transfer pricing Regulations (TPR) were introduced in India vide the Finance Act, 2001 by substitution of the existing 92 and introduction of new sections 92A to 92F in the Income Tax Act (‘Act’) and relevant rules 10A to 10E in the Income Tax Rules, 1962. The regulations are applicable to relevant international transactions entered into from 1st April 2001.
Before the introduction of the above detailed provisions, the concept of transfer pricing was applied under the Act in some specified circumstances and in a limited manner. Erstwhile s 92 provided that if the tax authorities believed that an international transaction with a non-resident resulted in less than ordinary profits for the resident owing to a “close connection” between the two they could re-compute the taxable income of the resident.
TPR was introduced with a view to provide a detailed statutory framework which can lead to computation of reasonable, fair and equitable profits and tax in India, in the cases of multinational enterprises, and also introduced new s 92A to 92F in the Act, relating to computation of income from an international transaction having regard to the arm’s length price, meaning of associated enterprise, meaning of international transaction, computation of arm’s length price, maintenance of information and documents by persons entering into international transactions and definitions of certain expressions occurring in the said sections.
The legislative intention, underlying the TPR, is to prevent the shifting of profits by manipulating prices charged or paid in international transactions, thereby eroding India’s tax base. The explanatory memorandum of Finance Bill, 2001 explains that the TPR was introduced to curb transfer pricing abuse. |
