Payments towards workshop conducted for dissemination of information which is a part of study course cannot be termed as FIS

Facts

• The applicant, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (“FICCI”) is a company registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1956.
• The applicant has received a job contract from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, New Delhi (“IUSSTF”) for administering DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Programme 2009 (“IIGP”) as joint partners with IC² Institute of University of Texas (IC² Institute) and IUSSTF. IUSSTF was appointed as coordinating agency on behalf of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (“DST”).
• The objective of the programme is to identify, award and accelerate innovative new Indian technologies into the market space.
• The applicant had to make payment to the IC² Institute to meet their expenses incurred in technology assessment and for travel of their personnel to India to participate in commercialisation workshop.
• It is stated that the participants of the program can look forward to receiving training in technology commercialisation strategies and entrepreneurship, analysis of commercial potential of their technology by US and Indian experts and participation in a technology competition judged by an international panel of experts. The programme finalists will receive additional benefits like professional business development assistance and access to US and global markets.
• The project is said to be non-commercial and not for profit, having the goal of making innovators reach global markets.

Issues before the AAR

The following broad issues were examined by the AAR: