19. ITO vs. Total Sports & Entertainment India Pvt Ltd [TS-145-ITAT-2023(Mum)] [ITA No: 5717 & 6129/Mum/2016] A.Y.: 2014-15 Date of order: 27th March, 2023
Article 28 of India-Malaysia DTAA – Article 28 cannot be invoked if the company is having substance in the form of employees, revenue and is set up for valid business reasons; Article 12 of India-Malaysia DTAA – Sub-licensing payment to a Malaysian company for: (a) Logo Rights; (b) Advertising Privileges; (c) Promotion Activities Rights; and (d) Rights to Complimentary Tickets, in respect of the cricket matches outside India, is not in nature of royalty under Article 12 of India-Malaysia DTAA. FACTS
Assessee, an Indian company, was engaged in the business of seeking rights sponsorships for any sports and entertainment event. It is a WOS of a Cayman Islands company (Cayman Hold Co). Cayman Hold Co was a holding company of 11 companies around the world including the assessee and a Malaysia company.
Cayman Hold Co had acquired advertisement rights of the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team1. The rights included: (a) Logo Rights; (b) Advertising Privileges; (c) Promotion Activities Rights; and (d) Rights to Complimentary Tick