Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Revenue

Central Board of Direct Taxes

New Delhi, 19th March, 2018.

PRESS RELEASE

India and Hong Kong sign Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement(DTAA)

On 19.03.2018, Government of India and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of People’s Republic of China have signed an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income.

In so far as India is concerned, the Central Government is authorized under Section 90 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 to enter into an Agreement with a foreign country or specified territory for avoidance of double taxation of income, for exchange of information for the prevention of evasion or avoidance of income tax chargeable under the Income-tax Act, 1961.

The Agreement will stimulate flow of investment, technology and personnel from India to HKSAR & vice versa, prevent double taxation and provide for exchange of information between the two Contracting Parties. It will improve transparency in tax matters and will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance. The Agreement is on similar lines as entered into by India with other countries.

(Surabhi Ahluwalia)

Commissioner of Income Tax

(Media & Technical Policy)

Official Spokesperson, CBDT.

Double taxation avoidance agreement expands exchange of tax information and prevents double taxation between India and Hong Kong. The Central Government, under Section 90 of the Income tax Act, has entered a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to avoid double taxation, prevent fiscal evasion, and provide for the exchange of information, while facilitating cross border investment, technology and personnel flows and improving tax transparency.