TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2009 (3) TMI 41
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....However, all the activities contemplated to be performed under these agreements were not carried out as the contract was terminated in the mid-way i.e. in March 2003. As far as the third agreement is concerned (construction and commissioning advisory), no services were at all performed. The Phase-I of first agreement was executed fully and only a portion of the work under the second agreement was done by the date of termination. The first agreement under which the applicant received a substantial amount is the agreement entered into on 13th August, 2001 (effective from 14th May, 2001) styled as "Engineering and Procurement Services Agreement". Even in respect of this agreement, phase-II thereof which relates to 'detailed engineering' and balance procurement items' was either not taken up or very little work was done. The applicant states that the activities concerning basic engineering services were primarily carried out in Perth, Australia. According to the applicant, the services done in Perth account for 80% of the scope of work detailed in the agreement. The procurement functions relating to phase-I were 'essentially' performed in India, according to the applicant. 1.1. Under....
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....nes. As noted already, phase-II has not been carried out. It is seen from para 5 of Appendix I that the primary responsibility for basic engineering, detailed engineering and procurement/contract services is that of the applicant and Reliance played supportive role. Para 3 stipulates that provision should be made for 7 Reliance project Team members to be stationed at contractor's head office during phase-I and at consultant's Indian office during phase-II. It is noted in para D(1) of Art.III that between the zero day (21st May 2001) and the date of execution of the agreement, the parties have begun discussions and analysed with respect to the overall basic engineering of the project including design criteria and other information necessary to provide the process basis for the project and the contractor (applicant) shall prepare and submit all detailed schedules, plans etc. to enable Reliance to approve the basic parameters of engineering and procurement aspects of the project. 1.3. The overall schedule and milestones are prescribed in Art.V. Inter alia it is stated therein that the basic engineering and ordering of long lead items for phase-I shall be completed before 20th October....
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....ia for duration of 8 days. The applicant stated that no services were rendered during the financial year 2003-04 by reason of closure of the contracts. The applicant clarified in its written submissions that Mr. Mark Vaughan acted as the project manager and that he and his team members were provided with office space in the office of the local engineering contractor of Reliance, namely, Jacobs Engineering Ltd. at Jacobs House, Andheri East, Mumbai. However, the nature of work/or services done by the applicant's employees who stayed in Mumbai has not been indicated specifically anywhere. 1.7. Procurement Services contemplated by the Ist Phase of the Agreement relate to long lead items and the services relating to procurement of balance items pertain to phase-II. As already noted, it is the case of the applicant that Phase-I work has been completely performed. Procurement services are listed out in Appendix-1. The establishment of detailed procurement plan by the applicant in consultation with the Reliance project team is the first task mentioned therein. Then follows the preparation of detailed procurement cycle for all major items, preparation of bidder list specific to the equip....
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....ments are stated in para II of Section B. Some of them are: Coordinating with various departments and third parties to ensure scheduled milestone dates to be are met, inter-facing management with local engineering contractor, preparation and implementation of the project execution and automation plans, forewarning and highlighting key issues and taking steps to resolve the same, maintaining and analyzing control - level schedules and data bases, ensuring implementation of quality assurance plan for all deliverables, coordinating with Reliance for their inputs, preparing close-out reports, organizing training to Reliance personnel on project management related software are some of the responsibilities of the contractor (applicant) specified in Appendix I. The services to be provided from Perth and from Bombay are also detailed in Appendix-1. As per Article V of the Agreement, the estimated completion dates for Jamnagar to Bhopal and Goa to Hyderabad pipelines stated to be 31st August and 30th November, 2002 respectively. Article VII bears the caption "reimbursable compensation". According to the said Article, Reliance shall pay to contractor compensation for the services at the man....
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....fectively connected with the permanent establishment, they go out of the purview of "royalty" provisions by virtue of Art.XII.4 of the DTAA between India and Australia and the income shall then be deemed to be business income and be dealt with in accordance with Article VII of DTAA. It is then submitted that on an application of Article VII, only that part of the profits attributable to the PE is liable to be taxed as business income under the Income Tax Act, 1961 and the balance receipts are not chargeable to tax in India. Even otherwise, it is contended that royalty payable on services rendered outside India is not liable to be taxed in India on the principle laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of Ishikawajima Heavy Industries (288 ITR 408) and more than 80% of the services under the 1st agreement relating to Basic Engineering etc. were done in Australia. As regards the rate of tax, the applicant submits that the rate of 20 per cent prescribed in section 115A of the Act applies. 5. The Revenue agrees that the receipts under the contract with Reliance are basically in the nature of "royalties", and that the applicant had a PE in Mumbai. The Revenue, however, differs with ....
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....ret formula or process, trade mark or other like property or right; (b) the use of, or the right to use, and industrial , commercial or scientific equipment; (c) the supply of scientific, technical, industrial or commercial knowledge or information; (d) the rendering of any technical or consultancy services (including those of technical or other personnel) which are ancillary and subsidiary to the application or enjoyment of any property or right as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a), or any such equipment as is mentioned in sub-paragraph(c); xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx (g) the rendering of any services (including those of technical or other personnel ), which make available technical knowledge, experience, skill know-how or processes or consist of the development and transfer of a technical plan or design; 4. The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply if the person beneficially entitled to the royalties, being a resident of one of the Contracting States, carries on business in the other Contracting State, in which the royalties arise, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from ....
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....visions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of this Article. Section 9 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the 'Act') 9. Income deemed to accrue or arise in India. (1) The following incomes shall be deemed to accrue or arise in India. (i) all income accruing or arising, whether directly or indirectly, through or from any business connection in India, or through or from any property in India, or through or from any asset or source of income in India, or through the transfer of a capital asset situate in India. Explanation: For the purposes of this clause - (a) in the case of a business of which all the operations are not carried out in India, the income of the business deemed under this clause to accrue or arise in India shall be only such part of the income as is reasonably attributable to the operations carried out in India; ……………… ……………… (vi) income by way of royalty payable by - (a) the Government; or (b) a person who is a resident, except where the royalty is payable in respect of any right, property or information used or services utilized for the purposes of a business or profession carried on by such person outside I....
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....ead with clause (d) i.e. rendering of consultancy and technical services which are ancillary and subsidiary to the supply of scientific, technical or commercial information/knowledge. More or less similar clauses in the definition of 'royalty' contained in Explanation 2 to Section 9(1)(vi) of the Act would be attracted. Hence, in view of the agreement of both sides that the services constitute 'royalty' income within the meaning of Art.XII.3 of DTAA as well as section 9(1)(vi) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, there is no need to discuss this aspect further. Permanent Establishment 8. It is appropriate at this stage to refer to the definition of PE as contained in Art. V of the DTAA. ARTICLE V - Permanent Establishment 1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "permanent establishment" means a fixed place of business through which the business of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried on. 2. The term "permanent establishment" shall include especially: (a) a place of management, (b) a branch, (c) an office, (d) a factory (e) a workshop … …. (k) a building site or construction, installation or assembly project, or supervisory activities in connection with a site or proj....
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.... in which the royalties arise to tax such income. Thus, there is a material difference between the two provisions. The discussion in the later part of judgment would reveal that the learned judges did recognize the power of the source country to tax the income from f.t.s* and the income arising from the operations of the permanent establishment. We find that the excerpts from OECD Model Convention given at P.441 are not correct. There are some apparent mistakes. That is perhaps the reason why their Lordships made the observation extracted in the 1st sentence above. 9.2. Proceeding further, Para 3 of Article XII defines 'royalty'. Para 4 of the Article enjoins that the provisions of paragraphs (1) & (2) shall not apply if the beneficial owner of royalties, that is to say, the recipient of royalty income carries on business in the other contracting state in which the royalties arise (source State) through a permanent establishment situated therein and the services in respect of which the royalties are paid are effectively connected with such PE. In such an event, the provisions of Art.VII will apply. Art.VII, as already noticed, deals with taxation on business profits. If the....
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.....VII, it would be appropriate to refer to the following passage cited by the Counsel from Mr. Philip Baker's treatise on "Double Taxation Conventions"# I "Article 7(7): Specific articles override Article 7(1) Article 7(7) concerns both of the situations covered by Article 7(1) (i.e. where the enterprise does or does not have a permanent establishment). Where an enterprise receives any type of income dealt with by any of the specific Articles of the Convention, the specific Articles are not affected by Article 7. Many of the other Articles-specifically Articles 10(4), 11(4), 12(3) and 21(2)-contain paragraphs which provide that, where the share holding, indebtedness, etc. is "effectively connected" with the permanent establishment, Article 7 should apply. According to paragraph 35 of the Commentary, such payments may then be regarded as "profits" of the permanent establishment within Article 7 and may be attributed to the permanent establishment or they can be taxed separately but without the limits contained in the specific Articles." "The order of priority is thus as follows. First, it is necessary to decide whether an item of income falls within one of the specific articles-di....
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....ut some activities in connection with the project or the work. The PE may be effectively connected with the project and the contract from a broader perspective but the connection contemplated by Para 4 of Art.XII is in respect of the services that fall within the purview of royalty. The PE or fixed base set up in the source country should be engaged in the performance of royalty generating services, irrespective of what other activities it performs. Atleast, it should facilitate the performance of such services. The terminology 'effective connection' denotes a real and intimate connection. Clear co-relation between the services which give rise to royalty income and the PE is a key factor for the purpose of exclusion of paragraphs 1 & 2 of Art.XII. Prof. Klaus Vogel in his commentary on the provisions of Model Convention stated thus in the chapter dealing with "permanent establishment proviso": "As the English and French texts of MC reveal, the term 'effectively connected with….' ('s'y rattache effectivement') should not be understood to mean the opposite of 'legally connected', but rather something in the sense of 'really connected'. Consequently, what has to be examined is whet....
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....uling out the application of Art.XII(4) on a different ground, i.e., the test of effective connection not being satisfied as far as basic engineering and procurement services are concerned. 12. Now, we have to examine the facts of the present case to ascertain whether the PE set up in India by the applicant in connection with the pipeline project work is effectively connected with the services performed by the applicant under the two agreements. Here, it must be noted that two separate agreements were entered into covering different phases of work with different rights and obligations. Though the works under the two Agreements are part of one project and contract, we have to look into the provisions and features of each agreement separately. In Ishikiwajama case, even a composite contract of turnkey project was held to be divisible and the various segments of contract were viewed separately by the Supreme Court. Here, the agreements, the nature of services and the consideration payable are separate and distinct. There is no overlapping between one agreement and another. On these undeniable facts, what follows? If under the first agreement i.e., the B.E.& P Services Agreement, no s....
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.... para A.1 and B.1 of Art. VII it is specifically stated : "lump sum fixed price for Phase 1 - basic engineering and procurement services of long lead items from Perth." Even in the written submissions dated 11.2.2008, the applicant clarified at page 2 that "the contractor was to provide basic engineering and procurement services from Perth, Australia and detailed engineering and procurement services from Mumbai." Further, para 3 of Appendix I which says that provision shall be made for seven Reliance project team members to be stationed at Contractor's head-office during phase I work reinforces the fact that phase I of the work was to be carried out from the head-office in Perth. It is not known on what basis the applicant has stated that services relating to procurement of long lead items were essentially performed in India. Assuming that something different from what had been stated in the agreement had factually taken place, the same should have been clarified. No material whatsoever has been placed before us to substantiate that the services relating to procurement which is an integral part of the BE & P Agreement were performed in India substantially or partly. Though the summ....
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....applicant's personnel to India and their stay at Mumbai commenced only in October, 2001 by which date the services under the Ist Phase of Agreement were to be completed. It is not the case of the applicant that the PE came into existence even before Oct., 2001. On the other hand, the specific averment in the application shows that there were 'few trips to India for site visits and meetings' in connection with the basic engineering services. In the absence of any details, the few short visits of the employees deputed by the applicant for going ahead with the work under the Agreement cannot be construed to give rise to a permanent establishment at the initial stage itself. Presumably, faced with this difficulty, the learned counsel for the applicant repeatedly stressed that the two agreements entered into in connection with the project and executed partly have to be seen as one as they are integrally connected. In other words, the applicant would like to say that the effective connection to the PE stands established by reference to the services rendered under any one of the Agreements. It is also the case of the applicant that although the bulk of services under the first agreement (....
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....rvices giving rise to royalty and the PE. That there is overall connection of such services to the project and the fact that such services are essential for the execution of the project is a different aspect. Such overall connection unrelated to the role of the permanent establishment cannot be brought within the ambit of the exclusion clause contained in Art.XII(4). The words "effectively connected with the PE" are not words of redundance and should be given their due meaning, as discussed earlier. A real and perceptible connection should exist to fulfil the said criterion. 12.3. In order to decide the question whether effective connection exists between the services performed under the BE&P Agreement and the PE, basic facts relating to the functions exercised by the staff stationed at the PE, the work turned out by them in relation to the services under the agreement and the billing if any done by PE for the items of work done by it should have been placed on record. As the things stand, we have only bald and vague averments of the applicant. Art. XII(4) (exclusion clause) considered from the standpoint of Ishikawajima decision 13. While on the point of applicability of the ....
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.... expression 'attributable'. The observation of their Lordships though contained in one sentence would imply that there may be situations in which the services etc. have an effective connection with the PE, still attribution in terms of Art. 7.1 may not be possible. Such an attribution could only be in accordance with what has been laid down in the Protocol to the DTAA. In this context, it is important to note that there is no categorical finding or observation of the Supreme Court anywhere in that case that the offshore services were effectively connected to the PE in India. On the other hand, the learned Judges guardedly added a rider while formulating propositions 2 and 6 to the following effect : "assuming the offshore elements form an integral part of the contract" and more importantly - "even if the offshore services and the permanent establishment were connected." We are of the humble opinion that the discussion proceeded on the basis that by reason of the exclusion clause contained in Article 12.5 of Indo-Japan Treaty, the clause dealing with business income i.e., Art.7 would apply and by applying the said Article, only that portion of the income arising from the operations ....
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....rofits to that arising from the operations of the permanent establishment. In this case, the entire services have been rendered outside India, and have nothing to do with the permanent establishment and can thus, not be attributable to the permanent establishment and therefore not taxable in India." On the strength of the above passage it is possible to contend that in the instant case also, Article VII of the DTAA should be applied. As discussed earlier, Article VII comes into the picture only when the exclusion clause in XII.4 comes into play. To attract XII(4) there must be effective connection between the services giving rise to royalty income and the PE in India. In the case of Ishikawajima, it was not found as a matter of fact that the offshore services were effectively connected with the PE. On the other hand, the observation in the above extracted passage and elsewhere would show that the non-resident's PE in India had nothing to do with the offshore services. Then, why their Lordships have expressly stated that "article 7 is applicable in this case"? It seems to us that this proposition should be read along with the preceding two propositions No. 7 & 6. In proposition No.....
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....ion no. 4 was: " whether the activities of ABC conducted outside India as enumerated in paragraph 6 of Annexure-I are effectively connected with the activities conducted inside in India by its PE in India". Question no. 7 sought ruling on the point whether the payments under the agreements were taxable under Art. 13.2 of the DTAA or whether in terms of Art. 13.6, the said amounts were liable to be taxed under Art. 7 of the DTAA. It may be mentioned that Art. 13.6 of the DTAA with France is similar to Art. XII.4 of Indo-Australian DTAA, it being an exclusion clause. Then, followed question no. 8 which raised the query whether the profits attributable to activities inside India alone will be liable to tax in India. Answering the 4th question in the affirmative, the Authority observed, thus: "All the outside activities are directed towards the installation of the manufacturing plant and industrial complex in India. Though carried out elsewhere, they are integrally connected with the project in India. The designs, basic engineering services and other services are based on information collected in India and the use of the process and technologies have to be adapted to the needs of, and....
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....material has been placed before us as to the exact role played by PE and whether it had anything to do with the BE&P services, though these facts were well within the knowledge of applicant. On the other hand, there are enough indications, as stated earlier, that the PE would have been set up at a later stage by which time the BE&P services would have been almost completed. Other points regarding Art. XII(4) 15. As regards Art. XII(4), another issue debated was whether in the event of holding that the services constituting 'royalty' are effectively connected to the PE in India, the entire receipts shall be taxed only in accordance with Art. VII to the complete exclusion of Article XII(2). The contention of the Revenue is that the receipts resulting from the services effectively connected to the PE shall be taxed in the manner provided by Article VII and the remaining receipts arising from the services unconnected to the PE would still be taxable under Article XII(2) of DTAA read with section 9(1)(vi) of the I.T. Act. Referring to the phraseology of Article XII (4), it is contended that the exclusion provision in Article XII(4) shall be strictly confined to that part of the incom....
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....me to the next aspect which was addressed by their Lordships in Ishikawajima case while discussing the issue of taxability of the income related to offshore services. The deemed income provision contained in Section 9(1)(vii) and territorial nexus in relation thereto was discussed and the interpretation of Section 9(1)(vii) was so adopted as to encapsulate the territorial nexus principle. It is pointed out by the learned counsel for the applicant that although the Supreme Court was interpreting Section 9(1)(vii) which relates to fees for technical services, the same interpretation and the same approach should be adopted in interpreting Section 9(1)(vi) dealing with royalty income as the opening part of both the clauses is couched in the same language. 17.1. Before we proceed to examine this contention, we must analyse and understand the judgment in Ishikawajima and its ratio decidendi. In substance and in ultimate analysis what has been laid down in that decision in regard to the taxability of offshore services rendered by non-resident is this: Sufficient territorial nexus between the rendition of services and territorial limits of India is necessary to make the income taxable (v....
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....ed in India in such year by or on behalf of such person; or (b) accrues or arises or is deemed to accrue or arise to him in India during such year. Explanation 1: Income accruing or arising outside India shall not be deemed to be received in India within the meaning of this section by reason only of the fact that it is taken into account in a balance sheet prepared in India. Then, Section 9 explains as to what income shall be deemed to accrue or arise in India within the meaning of clause (b) of section 5(2). 17.2A.. In the latest decision in CIT, New Delhi vs. M/s. Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd#. the Supreme Court discussed the nature and scope of section 9. S.H. Kapadia , J observed thus: "a general charge of income-tax is imposed by Section 4 and 5, and that general charge is given a particular application in respect of non-residents by Section 9 which enlarges the ambit of taxation by deeming income to arise in India in certain circumstances." Earlier it was observed: "Section 9 which deems certain categories/heads of income to accrue in India has no application in cases where income actually accrues in India. Likewise, Section 9 does not apply in cases where i....
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.... services undertaken by the latter in respect of a contract executed in India. The fact that the appellant company was a non-resident who provided services to a person resident in India is clearly stated at page 444 and also at page 430 of I.T.R. However, instead of sub-clause(b), sub-clause(c) was referred to and interpreted. The structure and language of sub-clause (b) is quite different from sub-clause (c). After referring to Section 9(1) (vii) (c), the Supreme Court observed at pg.444: "Reading the provision in its plain sense, it can be seen that it requires two conditions to be met - the services which are the source of the income that is sought to be taxed, has to be rendered in India, as well as utilized in India, to be taxable in India. In the present case, both these conditions have not been satisfied simultaneously, therefore excluding this income from the ambit of taxation in India. Thus, for a non-resident to be taxed on income for services, such a service needs to be rendered within India, and has to be part of a business or profession carried on by such person in India. The petitioners in the present case have provided services to persons resident in India, and thou....
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....d, namely, (a) resident; and (b) receipt or accrual of income." "94. What is relevant is receipt or accrual of income, as would be evident from a plain reading of section 5(2) of the Act. The legal fiction created although in a given case may be held to be of wide import, but it is trite that the terms of a contract are required to be construed having regard to the international covenants and conventions. In case of this nature, interpretation with reference to the nexus to tax territories will also assume significance. Territorial nexus for the purpose of determining the tax liability is an internationally accepted principle. An endeavour should, thus, be made to construe the taxability of a non-resident in respect of income derived by it. Having regard to the internationally accepted principle and DTAA, it may not be possible to give an extended meaning to the words "income deemed to accrue or arise in India" as expressed in section 9 of the Act. Section 9 incorporates various heads of income on which tax is sought to be levied by the Republic of India. Whatever is payable by a resident to a non-resident by way of fees for technical services, thus, would not always come within t....
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....Court while explaining a deeming provision.: "The word 'deemed' is used a great deal in modern legislation in different senses and it is not that a deeming provision is every time made for the purpose of creating a fiction. A deeming provision might be made to include what is obvious or what is uncertain or to impose for the purpose of a statute an artificial construction of a word or phrase that would not otherwise prevail, but in each case it would be a question as to with what object the legislature has made such a deeming provision". 17.9 On the point of territorial nexus there is one more observation of the Supreme Court which needs to be explained. Under the same heading "offshore services" - proposition no.10 (at page 447) says : "the location of the source of income within India would not render sufficient nexus to tax the income from that source." In our humble view, the said observation cannot be construed to mean that the age-old test of source of income should be eschewed altogether while considering territorial nexus. At best, the quoted statement may mean that the source test is not always decisive. That the Supreme Court found the source test as a relevant factor ....
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....ied. In Arnit Das vs. State of Bihar*, the Supreme Court referred to the passage in State of UP vs. Synthetics & Chemicals Ltd.** wherein it was pointed out that "a decision not expressed and accompanied by reasons and not proceeded on a conscious consideration of issue cannot be deemed to be a law having binding effect as is contemplated under Art.141 of the Constitution. That which has escaped in the judgment is not the ratio decidendi". Territorial nexus - other decisions 19. Before we proceed to apply the ratio of Ishikawajima decision to the facts of the present case, we may advert to the principles laid down in some important cases on the aspect of territorial nexus. 19.1. In Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd. vs. State of Bihar, a three judge bench of the Supreme Court observed "sufficiency of territorial nexus involves a consideration of two elements viz. (a) the connection must be real and not illusory and (b) the liability sought to be imposed must be pertinent to that territorial connection: (State of Bombay vs. Chamarbaugwala)……..". 19.2. In the case of A.H. Wadia vs. CIT, Bombay, the Federal Court examined the validity of Section 42(1) of the Indian Income ta....
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....rson who is subject to the tax and the country imposing the tax, its validity would not be open to challenge on the ground that it is extra-territorial in operation". Under section 9(1)(ii) which fell for consideration in the said decision, salary income 'earned in India' shall be deemed to accrue or arise in India. The Explanation to clause (ii) declared that income related to the service rendered in India shall be regarded as income earned in India. Interpreting section 9(1)(ii) in the light of the test laid down in Wadia's case, their Lordships observed that "if the payments of Home Salary abroad by the foreign company to the expatriate has any connection or nexus with his rendition of service in India then such payment would constitute income which is deemed to accrue or arise to the recipient in India as salary earned in India in terms of Section 9(1)(ii)". 19.4. In the case of Electronics Corporation of India vs. CIT*, a Norwegian company entered into an agreement with ECIL, Hyderabad to provide technical know-how and services including facility for training of personnel for which it was paid in Norwegian currency. Norwegian company did not have any office or any bus....
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.... one of substantial importance, especially as it concerns collaboration agreements with foreign companies and other such arrangements for the better development of industry and commerce in India. In view of the great public importance of the question, we think it desirable to refer these cases to a Constitution Bench. Application of the ratio/dicta of the decision in Ishikawajima to the facts of present case 20. As stated earlier, this Authority has to give full effect to the law laid down and the observations made by the Supreme Court vis-a-vis territorial nexus in the context of Section 9(1)(vii) (similar to Section 9(1)(vi)). There is no doubt that the facts of the present case should be tested in the light of the ratio underlying the decision of Supreme Court in Ishikawajima. Even then, we are unable to hold that the territorial nexus is lacking in the present case just as in the case of Ishikawajima. This is not a case where the entirety of offshore services were performed in a foreign country which was the base of the contractor. Even on the showing of the applicant, about 20% of the services were performed in India. A perusal of Appendix A to the Agreement would reveal tha....
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....ut offending the principle of territorial nexus. Project Management Services 21. Then, we turn our attention to the Project Management Services (PMS) covered by the Second Agreement. We have already referred to the main provisions therein. The case of the applicant that by the date of closure of the contract, certain project management services were performed in India through the PE has to be accepted. The nature of the services coupled with the calculation of amount payable to the applicant based on estimated man days 'at Mumbai' would lead to the conclusion that these services would not have been performed from Perth only. The presence of the applicant's personnel for considerable number of days appears to be necessary to discharge the responsibilities cast on the applicant under this Agreement. The P.M. services had apparently commenced after the basic engineering phase was over and the basic designs, drawings and procurement plans were made ready. It was at that stage i.e. in the month of October, 2001 that the PE was set up in Mumbai and the applicant's management and technical personnel stayed in Mumbai for days together and worked from the office of the local engineering ....