Article 1 - OBJECT AND SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT - British Virgin Islands

NOTIFICATION NO. 54/2011 DATED 3-10-2011 Subject : U/s 90 of the IT Act, 1961 - Double Taxation Agreement - Agreement for Exchange of Information with respect to taxes with British Virgin Islands S.O 2301(E):- Whereas, an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and Government of the British Virgin Islands for the exchange of information relating to taxes was signed at London. UK on the 9th day of February, 2011; And whereas, the date of entry into force of the said Agreement is the 22nd day of August, 2011, being the date of later of the notifications of completion of the procedures as required by the respective laws for entry into force of the said Agreement, in accordance with Article 14 of the said Agreement; And whereas, sub-paragraph ( a ) of Article 14 of the said Agreement provides that the provisions of the said Agreement shall have effect with respect to criminal tax matters on that date and sub-paragraph ( b ) of Article 14 of the said Agreement provides that the provisions of the said Agreement shall have effect with respect to all other matters covered in Article 1, for taxable periods beginning on or after that date, or where there is no taxable period, for all charges to tax arising on or after that date; Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 90 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Government hereby directs that all the provisions of the said Agreement, as set out in the Annexure hereto, shall be given effect to in the Union of India with respect to criminal tax matters immediately and with respect to all other matters covered in Article 1, for taxable periods beginning on or after the 22nd day of August, 2011 or where there is no taxable period, for all charges to tax arising on or after the 22nd day of August, 2011. ANNEX AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION RELATING TO TAXES Whereas India and the British Virgin Islands ( the Contracting Parties ) wish to enhance and facilitate the terms and conditions governing the exchange of information relating to taxes; Whereas it is acknowledged that the Contracting Parties are competent to negotiate and conclude a tax information exchange agreement; Now, therefore, the Contracting Parties have agreed to conclude the following Agreement which contains obligations on the part of the Contracting Parties only. ARTICLE 1 OBJECT AND SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall provide assistance through exchange of information that is foreseeably relevant to the administration and enforcement of the domestic laws of the Contracting Parties concerning the taxes and the tax matters covered by this Agreement, including information that is foreseeably relevant to the determination, assessment, verification, enforcement, recovery or collection of tax claims with respect to persons subject to such taxes, or the investigation or prosecution of tax matters in relation to such persons, information shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.