The increasing participation of multi-national groups in economic activities in the country has given rise to new and complex issues emerging from transactions entered into between two or more enterprises belonging to the same multi-national group. In order to provide a detailed statutory framework which can lead to computation of reasonable, fair and equitable profits and tax in India, the government has incorporated various acts keeping in mind various aspects in this relation.
In the case of multinational enterprises, the Finance Act, 2001 substituted section 92 with a new section and introduced new sections 92A to 92F in the Income-tax Act, relating to computation of income from an international transaction in relation to the arm's length price, meaning of associated enterprise, meaning of information and documents by persons entering into international transactions and definitions of certain expressions occurring in the said section.
Arm's length price: In accordance with internationally accepted principles, it has been provided that any income arising from an international transaction or an outgoing like expenses or interest from the international transaction between associated enterprises shall be computed having regard to the arm's length price, which is the price that would be charged in the transaction if it had been entered into by unrelated parties in similar conditions. The arm's length price shall be determined by one of the methods specified in Section 92C in the manner prescribed in Rules 10A to 10C that have been notified vide S.O. 808 E dated 21.8.2001.
Arm's length price can be calculated by one of the following specified methods:
- Comparable uncontrolled price method (CUP Method).
- Resale price method.
- Cost plus method.
- Profit split method or
- Transactional net margin method.
The taxpayer can select the most appropriate method to be applied to any given transaction, but such selection has to be made taking into account the various factors prescribed in the Rules. With a view to allow a degree of flexibility in adopting an arm's length price the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 92C provides that where the most appropriate method results in more than one price, a price which differs from the arithmetical mean by an amount not exceeding five percent of such mean may be taken to be the arm's length price, at the option of the assessee.
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