Deemed accrual of gift made to a person outside India

Section 9 of the Act relates to Income deemed to accrue or arise in India. Under the Act, non –residents are taxable in India in respect of income that accrues or arises in India or is received in India or is deemed to accrue or arise in India or is deemed to be received in India. Under the existing provisions of the Act, a gift of money or property is taxed in the hands of donee, except for certain exemptions provided in clause (x) of sub-section (2) of section 56. It has been reported that gifts are made by persons being residents in India to persons outside India and are claimed to be non-taxable in India as the income does not accrue or arise in India. To ensure that such gifts made by residents to persons outside India are subject to tax, it is proposed to provide that income of the nature referred to in sub-clause (xviia) of clause (24) of section 2, arising from any sum of money paid, or any property situate in India transferred, on or after 5th July, 2019 by a person resident in India to a person outside India shall be deemed to accrue or arise in India.  However, the existing provision for exempting gifts as provided in proviso to clause (x) of sub-section (2) of section 56 will continue to apply for such gifts deemed to accrue or arise in India. In a treaty situation, the relevant article of applicable DTAA shall continue to apply for such gifts as well.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2020 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2020-21 and subsequent assessment years.

[Clause 4]

 

 

 

Deemed accrual of gifts: transfers by Indian residents to nonresidents treated as taxable in India under new provision. Gifts of money or property made by a person resident in India to a person outside India, where the property is situated in India or sums are paid, are deemed to accrue or arise in India for tax purposes when made on or after 5 July 2019; existing statutory gift exemptions continue to apply and applicable DTAA provisions remain operative. The amendment takes effect from 1 April 2020 and applies to assessment year 2020-21 onward.