‘The excessive outgo should not be there. We are not saying that royalty will not go but we are looking at this issue as to how to address the sudden outgo of these funds. This needs a little bit of tampering,’ Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said.
Regarding this, he has written a letter to Finance Minister P Chidambram. ‘There has to be a fool proof reporting’ of such funds, he added.
The increase in outflow of these payments started after the government liberalised the FDI policy in 2009. It had removed the cap and permitted Indian companies to pay royalty to their technical collaborators without seeking prior government approval.
The outflows on account of royalty and fee for technical services, taken together, are as high as about 16 per cent to 33 per cent of the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows over the period 2009-10 and 2012-13. In the last fiscal, India had attracted FDI worth $22.42 billion. Royalty is paid to a foreign collaborator for transfer of technology or the usage of brand. In his letter to Chidambaram, Sharma has said that given the current economic situation and a high quantum of outflows on this account, there is a need to take a view on whether the ceiling on royalty payments and fee for technical services should be re-introduced in the FDI policy to check the large outflows and also to prevent possible misuse of this window.
FDI, which is essential to bridge the widening CAD, declined by about 15 per cent to $12.6 billion (Rs 74,971 crore) during the April-October period in the current fiscal.
The Commerce and Industry Ministry also wants a proper post-reporting mechanism for technology transfer or collaborations and use of brand name. The ministry has already sent a draft press note to the Department of Economic Affairs and are awaiting the response. Due to absence of such a mechanism, the exact payments made by Indian entities towards such payments are not ascertained from RBI.
As per media reports, car maker Maruti's royalty payment to its Japanese parent Suzuki has increased to Rs 2,454 crore in 2012-13 from Rs 495.2 crore in 2007-08.
Before 2009, royalty payments were regulated by the government and was capped at 8 per cent of exports and 5 per cent domestic sales in case of technology transfer and fixed at 2 per cent of exports and 1 per cent of domestic sales for use of trademark or brand name.
Commerce Ministry for easing of gold import norms for exporters
New Delhi: Seeking to push exports, the Commerce Ministry has asked the Finance Ministry to ease gold import restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Commerce Secretary S R Rao has in a letter asked Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram to ‘look into the matter (gold imports by exporters) and issue necessary instructions to RBI for removal of the anomaly’.
‘... This (Commerce) department is repeatedly receiving representations from stakeholders in the matter and our exports are suffering,’ Rao said in the letter. In order to check India’s widening current account deficit, the apex bank had in August imposed curbs on import of gold and also laid down various pre-conditions for inward shipment of the precious metal.
Regarding this, he has written a letter to Finance Minister P Chidambram. ‘There has to be a fool proof reporting’ of such funds, he added.
The increase in outflow of these payments started after the government liberalised the FDI policy in 2009. It had removed the cap and permitted Indian companies to pay royalty to their technical collaborators without seeking prior government approval.
The outflows on account of royalty and fee for technical services, taken together, are as high as about 16 per cent to 33 per cent of the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows over the period 2009-10 and 2012-13. In the last fiscal, India had attracted FDI worth $22.42 billion. Royalty is paid to a foreign collaborator for transfer of technology or the usage of brand. In his letter to Chidambaram, Sharma has said that given the current economic situation and a high quantum of outflows on this account, there is a need to take a view on whether the ceiling on royalty payments and fee for technical services should be re-introduced in the FDI policy to check the large outflows and also to prevent possible misuse of this window.
FDI, which is essential to bridge the widening CAD, declined by about 15 per cent to $12.6 billion (Rs 74,971 crore) during the April-October period in the current fiscal.
The Commerce and Industry Ministry also wants a proper post-reporting mechanism for technology transfer or collaborations and use of brand name. The ministry has already sent a draft press note to the Department of Economic Affairs and are awaiting the response. Due to absence of such a mechanism, the exact payments made by Indian entities towards such payments are not ascertained from RBI.
As per media reports, car maker Maruti's royalty payment to its Japanese parent Suzuki has increased to Rs 2,454 crore in 2012-13 from Rs 495.2 crore in 2007-08.
Before 2009, royalty payments were regulated by the government and was capped at 8 per cent of exports and 5 per cent domestic sales in case of technology transfer and fixed at 2 per cent of exports and 1 per cent of domestic sales for use of trademark or brand name.
Commerce Ministry for easing of gold import norms for exporters
New Delhi: Seeking to push exports, the Commerce Ministry has asked the Finance Ministry to ease gold import restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Commerce Secretary S R Rao has in a letter asked Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram to ‘look into the matter (gold imports by exporters) and issue necessary instructions to RBI for removal of the anomaly’.
‘... This (Commerce) department is repeatedly receiving representations from stakeholders in the matter and our exports are suffering,’ Rao said in the letter. In order to check India’s widening current account deficit, the apex bank had in August imposed curbs on import of gold and also laid down various pre-conditions for inward shipment of the precious metal.