India and the Digital Economy – The Emerging P.E. and Attribution Issues

Volume 6 No 5    |    Read Article

By Sunil Agarwal (guest author)

The exponential expansion of information and communication technology has made it possible for businesses to be conducted in ways that did not exist 15 years ago. It has given rise to new business models that rely almost exclusively on digital and telecommunication networks, do not require physical presence, and derive substantial value from data collected and transmitted through digital networks. So how and where should these companies be taxed? Sunil Agarwal, an advocate and senior tax partner of AZB & Partners New Delhi, evaluates proposals already enacted in India and the U.K. and those under consideration at the level of the European Commission and E.U. member countries Italy, France, and Austria. Should the digital tax be a consumption tax passed on to the final consumer or a minimum income tax based on global profits or substantial economic presence? At this point, consensus does not exist.    See more →