India closer to capital gains tax hike

The proposal, the Direct Taxes Code, 2010 (DTC), calls for a uniform tax rate of 30 percent for capital gains on unlisted shares regardless of whether the gains are short or long term, according to Ernst & Young India. 

Last year, the Indian Parliament did not pass the DTC and the government intends to table the decision again in April, Sameer Gupta, tax partner at Ernst & Young in Mumbai, told sister publication PE Asia.

But he doubted the legislative process could move that quickly given all the interests involved.

“It seems ambitious to achieve it this year,” he said. “If they do miss the April deadline, the enactment might be delayed until 2013.”

The private equity industry in India – both domestic and foreign firms – has been petitioning the government. 

“They are asking the government to write in concessions for them because they invest their capital in growth industries,” Gupta said.

If the current proposal is passed, the capital gains tax rate of 30 percent would be the highest among  the BRIC countries, according to Ernst & Young. The capital gains tax rates in Brazil, Russia and China are 15 percent, 15.5 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent respectively. 

Punit Shah, partner, tax & regulatory services at KPMG in Mumbai, believes the proposal will be passed this year without concessions for private equity.

“India probably had the lowest FDI growth among the BRIC countries last year and one of the reasons could be certain tax and regulatory developments, which are perceived negatively by foreign investors,” Shah said.