Indian authorities have recently extended the service tax on ocean freight, payable under the Finance Act 1994 (“Service Tax”), to cargoes imported on a CIF basis. The amendments to the Act in this regard came into effect from 22 January 2017.

This Service Tax has been levied since June 2016 over freight on cargoes imported on an FOB basis, including where ships have been chartered by importers domiciled in India. But it was not applicable where transportation services were provided from a place outside India to a port in India by a foreign shipping line at the request of a foreign shipper. The amendments are intended to correct this anomaly.
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