India to open income tax offices in 8 countries

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India plans to open income tax offices in eight countries including United States, Britain, Germany and the UAE to trace tax evaders, parliament was told Friday. The government has taken steps to operationalise eight new Income Tax Overseas Units in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus, US, Britain, United Arab Emirates, and Japan in the next financial year, Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

India has already opened income tax offices in Singapore and Mauritius. Both these offices were opened during the current financial year.

“The mandate of Income Tax Overseas Units is to assist Indian competent authorities, under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements and Tax Information Exchange Agreements, in its various works as well as to provide clarity on Indian taxation law in order to promote investment in India,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

“These units are not engaged in tax collection process directly,” it said.