Where assessee had no tax incidence but otherwise was liable to tax in the UAE, benefits of India-UAE DTAA were applicable

In the instant case the assessee, a resident of the UAE, was engaged in the business of shipping.  It claimed that Article 8 of the India-UAE treaty would be applicable to it. The AO, however, held that the assessee was not eligible for treaty benefit. He, therefore, invoked the provisions of section 44B and computed the presumptive profit on total receipt. On appeal, the CIT (A) deleted the order of the AO. Aggrieved revenue filed the instant appeal.

The Tribunal held as under:

1) The revenue’s contention was that since the assessee had not paid taxes in the UAE, there could be no curtailment of tax liability, by pressing the treaty. The reason could being that DTAA applies on juridical double taxation, i.e., if income was not taxed in one State, then it would be taxed in full in the other, if it was otherwise taxable, without granting any benefit of the Treaty;

2) This argument couldn’t be sustained, because the assessee was 'otherwise liable to tax' in UAE. Simply because there was no tax incidence in the UAE, didn’t mean that the assessee ceased to be otherwise liable to tax as per Article 4 of India-UAE treaty;

3) Treaty becomes applicable once the assessee gets within the expression 'otherwise liable to tax' in Treaty. Therefore, the order of CIT (A) was to be set aside and the AO was to be directed to consider the nature of income in issue and, consequently, the availability of Article 8 of the India UAE Treaty – ADIT v. Simatech Shipping Forwarding LLC [2013] 37 taxmann.com 232 (Mumbai - Trib.)