GST on FTWZ Transactions: A Case Study of Haworth India Pvt. Ltd.

Introduction

A recent ruling by the Tamil Nadu Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) has provided important insights about the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) on transactions in Free Trade and Warehousing Zones (FTWZ).

Background

M/s Haworth India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Haworth Inc. (USA), manufactures and sells office furniture under the ‘Haworth’ brand. The company sources raw materials domestically and from international group entities and imports certain finished goods. To improve efficiency and speed up project execution, the company planned to handle its import and resale transactions from an FTWZ. The key question was whether transferring the title of goods within the FTWZ, or multiple transfers within the FTWZ, would be considered bonded warehouse transactions under paragraph 8(a) of Schedule III of the CGST Act, 2017.

Key Points

1. FTWZ as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
   • FTWZs are Special Economic Zones, treated as foreign territories within India for activities like storage, trading, and ancillary services. They operate under the SEZ Act and Rules, which are different from the Customs Act governing traditional bonded warehouses.
   • Goods within the FTWZ are exempt from customs duties until cleared for home consumption. Multiple ownership transfers can happen without moving the goods out of the FTWZ or incurring indirect taxes.
2. Bonded Warehouse Transactions
   • The Applicant sought clarity on whether transactions within the FTWZ could be equated with bonded warehouse transactions under paragraph 8(a) of Schedule III of the CGST Act. According to the CGST Act, transactions in licensed warehouses (under the Customs Act) do not count as the supply of goods or services, thus exempting them from GST until the goods are cleared for home consumption.
3. AAR’s Observations and Ruling
   • The AAR stated that the term ‘warehouse’ in paragraph 8(a) refers to warehouses licensed under the Customs Act. These include public, private, and special warehouses. FTWZs, governed by the SEZ Act, do not fall under this definition.
   • Therefore, transactions involving the transfer of title within the FTWZ do not qualify as bonded warehouse transactions and are not exempt from GST. This interpretation is different from previous rulings, which equated FTWZs with bonded warehouses for customs duties and GST exemption.

Implications

The AAR’s ruling highlights a key difference between FTWZs and traditional bonded warehouses. Businesses operating within FTWZs must understand that transferring the title within these zones does not automatically exempt them from GST. This has significant implications for the financial planning and operational strategies of companies using FTWZs for trading and warehousing.

Conclusion

The Tamil Nadu AAR’s ruling provides crucial clarity on the treatment of transactions within FTWZs under the CGST Act. Companies using FTWZs must carefully navigate these regulations to ensure compliance and optimize their tax liabilities. The ruling aligns with the GST Council’s recommendations that IGST should be levied at the final clearance of goods for home consumption, not during bonded transactions within an FTWZ. However, this differs from previous AAR decisions, raising questions about the consistency of interpretations. It remains to be seen how these differing views will be reconciled by higher authorities.

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