India challenged the US $ 1.2 billion Cairn Arbitration Award, saying the tax dispute by no means agreed to arbitration

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The Ministry of Finance mentioned on Sunday that India had challenged a global arbitration tribunal to return US $ 1.2 billion to Cairn Energy plc of the UK, on ​​the grounds that it by no means agreed to arbitrate on a ‘nationwide tax dispute’ occurred.

In a press release, the ministry additionally denied stories that the Indian authorities allegedly requested state-owned banks to withdraw funds from overseas foreign money accounts overseas in anticipation of potential seizure of such accounts.

While the federal government appointed a decide on a three-member arbitration panel and absolutely participated within the proceedings in opposition to India in a again tax of Rs 10,247 crore from Cairn, the ministry mentioned the tribunal had “improperly exercised jurisdiction over the national tax dispute.” Exercised that the Republic of India by no means supplied and / or agreed to arbitration. “

India had seized and bought Cairn’s shares in its predecessor India unit, forfeited dividends payable and withheld tax refunds, which had been imposed in 2012, two years after passing a legislation that retroactively granted it Was given the ability to levy tax.

Cairn known as for arbitration below the Indo-UK Bilateral Investment Treaty.

In December final 12 months, Cairn gained an award, by which it was unfair to impose a tax on the corporate utilizing the 2012 legislation and the tribunal requested the Government of India to refund greater than US $ 1.2 billion in prices and curiosity.

In a press release, the Finance Ministry known as Cairn’s 2006 reorganization of India’s enterprise to be listed in native markets as a “disgraceful tax avoidance scheme, a gross violation of Indian tax laws, making Cairn’s India-UK Deprived of any investment of the said security. Bilateral Investment Treaty. “

It mentioned, “The award confirms Cairn’s plan to unfairly achieve double non-taxation, which was designed to avoid paying taxes anywhere in the world, which is a goal for governments around the world.” There is critical public coverage concern, “the federal government challenged the arbitration award on 22 March. A courtroom within the Hague – the seat of arbitration.

It just isn’t clear whether or not a courtroom in The Hague can go to the deserves of imposing taxation by the Government of India on a company amalgamation scheme.

Priority determines that the challenges of worldwide arbitration award are restricted to tribunals not following due course of.

The tribunal, contemplating Cairn’s problem, consisted of three judges – one decide nominated by every firm and the Government of India and the third a impartial presiding officer.

The three-member panel unanimously reversed the tax and requested India to refund the shares bought, forfeited dividends and tax refund. It involves US $ 1.72 billion with curiosity and prices.

On India’s refusal to pay, Cairn registered the award in 9 jurisdictions, together with the US, UK, Canada and Singapore and has begun a course of to recuperate funds from state-owned entities.

Earlier this month, it filed a petition in a New York courtroom to declare Air India India’s transformative conceitedness to drive it to award it.

“The Indian government is vigorously defending its case in this legal dispute. It is a fact that the government has filed an application on 22 March 2021 to revoke the highly flawed December 2020 international arbitration award in the Hague Court of Appeal, ”the Department of Revenue within the Ministry of Finance mentioned within the assertion.

India’s attraction earlier than the Hague courtroom additionally said that the claims below the award are based mostly on an abusive tax avoidance scheme that was a gross violation of Indian tax legal guidelines, permitting Cairn to safe any safety below the Indo-UK bilateral funding treaty. Denied of alleged funding. .

It additional said that proceedings are pending earlier than the Hague Court and the federal government is dedicated to adopting all authorized avenues to defend its case within the dispute.

It added that Cairn’s CEO and his representatives have approached the federal government for discussions to resolve the matter.

“There has been constructive discussion and the government is ready for amicable settlement of the dispute within the legal framework of the country,” the assertion mentioned.

If a New York courtroom acknowledges Air India as an alter ego to the Indian authorities, Cairn could search attachment or seizure of its belongings within the US, equivalent to airplanes, actual property and financial institution accounts, supplied by arbitration The quantity taken is for restoration. Tribunal

Sources mentioned that if Cairn succeeds in recognizing Air India as an alter ego of the federal government, it will not imply that the airline’s belongings would fall into the fingers of the British agency.

This implies that Cairn could demand forfeiture of any of Air India’s belongings within the US. There can’t be many such belongings.

The solely hazard could also be that when an Air India airplane lands at an American airport, Cairn will have the ability to method the courtroom and have interaction it earlier than taking off.

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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS

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