Income Tax – Charges for data processing not ‘royalty’

Recently ITAT Mumbai in the case of Standard Chartered Bank (Taxpayer) (ITA No. 3827/ MUM/ 2006) on the issue whether data processing charges paid by the Taxpayer would constitute ‘royalty’ under the Indian Tax Laws (ITL) and the India – Singapore Tax Treaty (Tax Treaty) held that the payments were made for use of a facility and not any process. Furthermore, in the absence of control or physical access to any equipment, it cannot be said that the payment was made for any use or right to use the equipment. Hence, payment would not amount to ‘royalty’ under the ITL ...