A new issue has emerged in the ongoing bullet train project to shorten the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. After the concerns about land acquisition and the environment were addressed, the issue of income tax arose.
In fact, Japan has raised concerns about the income taxation of its engineers involved in the project. According to Japan, the tax should not be levied on a consultant working on a bullet train project.
Japan has suggested that the Indian government not levy income tax on the fees and other expenses incurred by these consultants. Furthermore, if this problem is not resolved, the project will be delayed.
Japan claims that income tax should not be levied on its advisers’ earnings. It should be noted that the income tax exemption was removed in the Finance Bill passed in 2022, and the consultant will now be required to pay income tax beginning with the current fiscal year.
The bullet train project has been assigned to two Japanese firms, Japan International Consultations and JE. The Japanese government has asked only employees of these companies to provide tax breaks.
According to media reports, the Japanese government has objected to sections 8, 8A, 8B and 9 of section 10 of the Indian Income Tax Act. In which income tax provisions are stated on the earnings of foreign nationals working in India.
In fact, the Indian government has received a loan from Japan for this project. Japan claims that income tax should not be imposed on the earnings of Japanese employees who work on projects funded by its own grants.