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Withholding tax rates as per DTAA

Withholding tax rates as per DTAA

The Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement assists NRIs who work abroad in avoiding paying double taxes on income received in both their home country and India. India has this arrangement with 80 nations. In this article , we will learn all about ” Withholding tax rates as per DTAA”.

 

What does a DTAA (double taxation avoidance agreement) mean?

The Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, often known as the DTAA, is a tax treaty that India has signed with another nation (or any two or more nations) to prevent taxpayers from having to pay taxes twice on income that they get from both their source and their origin countries. Double tax avoidance agreements exist between India and more than 80 nations at the moment.

The mismatch in tax collection on individual taxpayers’ worldwide income is what drives the demand for DTAA. If someone wants to start a business abroad, they may have to pay income taxes in both the country where the income is earned and the country where they are a citizen or have a place of residence. For instance, if you leave income sources like interest from deposits in India and move to a different country, both India and the country where you are currently residing will charge you interest based on your combined worldwide profits. In such a case, you can end up paying double the tax on the same amount of income. This is where taxpayers can benefit from the DTAA.

Advantages from DTAA

For taxpayers, the DTAA has a lot of advantages. The primary advantage is that the same income is not subject to two taxes. Apart from this,

  • withholding tax reduction (Tax Deduction at Source or TDS)
  • tax credit
  • Exempt from taxation
  • To reduce the possibility of tax evasion for taxpayers in either or both of the countries between which the bilateral or multilateral DTAA agreement has been struck, this is the main goal of DTAA agreements with other nations.
  • Less withholding tax is advantageous for taxpayers since they can pay lower TDS on their interest, royalties, or dividend incomes in India. Additionally, some agreements include tax credits in the source or nation of operations so that taxpayers don’t pay the same tax twice. Capital gains tax may be waived in some agreements, such as those with Egypt, Singapore, Mauritius, and Cyprus, which can be advantageous for taxpayers who can use the DTAA to reduce their taxes.

Withholding Tax Rates as per DTAA

The rates and rules of the DTAA vary by country, depending on the specific agreement signed by both parties. TDS rates on interest earned are either 10% or 15% in most countries, with rates ranging from 7.50% to 15%. The following section contains a list of DTAA rates for specific countries.

Country List for Withholding Tax Rates as per Double Taxation Agreements

There are currently 85 countries that have DTAA agreements with India. The following countries have an agreement with India to avoid double taxation. Interest TDS rates are listed below. (In alphabetical order)

Sr. No.

Country

Tax Rates

1

Armenia

10%

2

Australia

15%

3

Austria

10%

4

Bangladesh

10%

5

Belarus

10%

6

Belgium

15%

7

Botswana

10%

8

Brazil

15%

9

Bulgaria

15%

10

Canada

15%

11

China

15%

12

Cyprus

10%

13

Czech Republic

10%

14

Denmark

15%

15

Egypt

10%

16

Estonia

10%

17

Ethiopia

10%

18

Finland

10%

19

France

10%

20

Georgia

10%

21

Germany

10%

22

Greece

As per agreement

23

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

10%

24

Hungary

10%

25

Iceland

10%

26

Indonesia

10%

27

Ireland

10%

28

Israel

10%

29

Italy

15%

30

Japan

10%

31

Kazakhstan

10%

32

Kenya

15%

33

South Korea

15%

34

Kuwait

10%

35

Kyrgyz Republic

10%

36

Libya

As per agreement

37

Lithuania

10%

38

Luxembourg

10%

39

Malaysia

10%

40

Malta

10%

41

Mauritius

7.50-10%

42

Mongolia

15%

43

Montenegro

10%

44

Morocco

10%

45

Mozambique

10%

46

Myanmar

10%

47

Namibia

10%

48

Nepal

15%

49

Netherlands

10%

50

New Zealand

10%

51

Norway

15%

52

Oman

10%

53

Philippines

15%

54

Poland

15%

55

Portuguese Republic

10%

56

Qatar

10%

57

Romania

15%

58

Russia

10%

59

Saudi Arabia

10%

60

Serbia

10%

61

Singapore

15%

62

Slovenia

10%

63

South Africa

10%

64

Spain

15%

65

Sri Lanka

10%

66

Sudan

10%

67

Sweden

10%

68

Swiss Confederation

10%

69

Syrian Arab Republic

7.50%

70

Tajikistan

10%

71

Tanzania

12.50%

72

Thailand

25%

73

Trinidad and Tobago

10%

74

Turkey

15%

75

Turkmenistan

10%

76

UAE

12.50%

77

UAR (Egypt)

10%

78

Uganda

10%

79

UK

15%

80

Ukraine

10%

81

United Mexican States

10%

82

USA

15%

83

Uzbekistan

15%

84

Vietnam

10%

85

Zambia

10%

DTAA is an effective financial agreement that is beneficial to both the taxpayer as well as the respective tax collection authorities in various countries.

Frequently Asked Questions: -

15% if at least 10% of the shares of the company paying the dividend is held by the recipient; 20% in other cases. 20% 10% if interest is received by a financial institution or insurance company; 15% in other cases.

In India, a company which has declared, distributed or paid any amount as a dividend, is required to pay a dividend distribution tax at 15%.

DTAA or Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement is an agreement that India signed with 85 other countries to avoid levying taxes twice on the same income. This provision helps taxpayers accumulate income savings by paying the tax in only one country. DTAAs can be comprehensive in many countries.

Disclaimer: The main goal of this article is to “assist investors in making informed financial decisions.” The above information is provided only for educational purposes. Readers are advised to exercise caution and seek professional counsel before relying on the above information. K M Gatecha & CO LLP is not liable for any loss or harm incurred by readers who take action based on the information provided in this article. “Please keep in mind that the opinions expressed in this Blog/Comments Section/Forum are clarifications intended for the readers’ reference and guidance as they investigate further on the topics/questions raised and make informed decisions. These are not intended to be investment advice or legal advice.”