19 June 2012
A special additional duty (SAD) of Customs of 4% has been levied on all imports by the Budget 2006-2007. As no central sales tax or VAT is levied on imports, the levy of SAD is intended to create a level playing field for domestic goods vis-a-vis imports.
A manufacturer of excisable goods is permitted to utilise the SAD paid on imported goods as a credit against its excise duty liability. Therefore, SAD is not a cost for a manufacturer and as such does not operate as a countervailing tax.
Special Valuation Branch is a Branch of the Custom House, specialising in investigating the transactions involving relationship between the supplier and the importer and certain other special features like Technical Collaboration between the parties, etc. Special Valuation Branch examines the influence of relationship on the invoice value of the imported goods in respect of transactions between related parties. In respect of Technical Collaboration Agreements and Joint Venture Agreements, the terms and conditions of these agreements are examined to arrive at the conclusion, whether the existence of such agreement has influenced the invoice value of the imports.