Volkswagen sues the Indian government for its USD 1.4 billion alleged duties claim!

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Volkswagen has sued Indian authorities to quash an "impossibly enormous" taxation request of $1.4 billion, arguing the inquire is contradictory to New Delhi's import taxation rules for car parts and volition hamper the company's concern plans, tribunal papers show.

Volkswagen's unit, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, besides told the High Court successful Mumbai the taxation quality puts astatine hazard its investments of $1.5 cardinal successful India, and is detrimental to the overseas concern climate, according to the 105-page filing which is not nationalist but was reviewed by Reuters.

In the biggest ever import taxation demand, India successful September slapped a $1.4 cardinal taxation announcement connected Volkswagen for utilizing a strategy to interruption down imports of immoderate VW, Skoda and Audi cars into galore idiosyncratic parts to wage a little duty.

Indian authorities alleged Volkswagen imported "almost the entire" car successful unassembled information - which pull a 30-35% taxation applicable connected CKDs, oregon wholly knocked down units, but evaded the levies by mis-classifying them arsenic "individual parts" coming successful abstracted shipments, paying conscionable a 5-15% levy.

Volkswagen India had kept the Indian authorities informed of its "part-by-part import" exemplary and received clarifications successful its enactment successful 2011, the institution says successful the tribunal challenge.

The taxation announcement is "in implicit contradiction of the presumption held by the authorities ... (and) places astatine peril the precise instauration of religion and spot that overseas investors would tendency to person successful the actions and assurances" of the administration, the Jan. 29 tribunal filing states.

The Indian concern ministry and the customs authoritative who issued the request bid did not respond to requests for remark extracurricular regular concern hours.

Volkswagen's India portion said successful a connection it is utilizing each ineligible remedies arsenic it cooperates with authorities and remains committed to ensuring "full compliance" with each planetary and section laws.

A Volkswagen spokesperson successful Germany did not respond to a petition for a comment.

The German carmaker is simply a tiny subordinate successful India's 4 cardinal units a twelvemonth car market, the world's 3rd biggest, wherever its Audi marque besides lags competitors successful the luxury conception similar Mercedes and BMW.

In the case, authorities alleged Volkswagen's section portion regularly placed bulk orders for cars done interior bundle which connected it to suppliers successful Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and different nations.

And aft the bid was placed, the bundle broke it down into "main components/parts", astir 700-1,500 for each conveyance depending connected the model, which were shipped separately implicit time.

This, the Indian authorities said, was "a ploy to wide the goods without the outgo of the applicable duty."

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