[Opinion] Navigating the Nexus | A White Paper on Permanent Establishment in Indian Taxation

Aman Garg & Anshi Bhatia – [2026] 183 taxmann.com 581 (Article)

1. Executive Summary

The concept of Permanent Establishment (PE) is the bedrock for the taxation of foreign enterprises’ business profits in India. It functions as the critical threshold of economic nexus that grants India, as a source country, the right to tax income generated within its borders. Historically rooted in physical presence, the definition and interpretation of PE have become exceptionally dynamic and subjective, leading to significant litigation and creating a landscape of uncertainty for foreign investors and multinational corporations.

This white paper provides an exhaustive analysis of the PE concept under Indian tax law, detailing two transformative shifts that are fundamentally reshaping this landscape.

First is the judicial evolution towards a “substance over form” doctrine. The Indian Supreme Court, in a series of landmark rulings culminating in Formula One World Championship Ltd. and, most recently, Hyatt International Southwest Asia Ltd., has decisively moved beyond contractual formalities. It now prioritises functional control and economic reality in its PE analysis. This means that foreign enterprises can no longer rely on the mere absence of a formal office or carefully worded contracts to avoid a taxable presence in India.

Second is the parallel evolution in legislative and global policy. India has been at the forefront of adopting global anti-avoidance measures under the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project, primarily through the Multilateral Instrument (MLI). Concurrently, it has unilaterally expanded its domestic law nexus to address the challenges of the digital economy by introducing the concept of “Significant Economic Presence” (SEP).

The core message of this report is unequivocal: a holistic, substance-based assessment of Indian operations is now critical for effective tax risk management. This paper is structured to guide foreign investors and tax professionals with a structured understanding of this evolving terrain. The paper opens with the conceptual foundations of PE, exploring its various forms and the determination tests applied by Indian Courts. It then examines the complex interplay between India’s domestic tax legislation and its extensive network of tax treaties, before delving into the landmark judicial precedents that are defining the new PE paradigm in India. The report further dissects the principles of profit attribution and the impact of emerging global tax trends. The report concludes by presenting the practical compliance considerations and offering insights into the policy trajectory and future outlook of this rapidly evolving domain.

2. Conceptual Foundation

2.1 Global Taxation Principles

International taxation operates on two primary principles: residence-based taxation, where a country taxes its residents on their worldwide income, and source-based taxation, where a country taxes income generated within its borders, regardless of the recipient’s residence. India employs a hybrid model, taxing its residents on their global income while taxing non-residents on income sourced or deemed to be sourced in India. Within this framework, the PE concept is the principal mechanism under Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) for establishing a country’s right to tax the active business income of a foreign enterprise.

2.2 Definition and Philosophy of PE

The modern definition of PE is primarily derived from Article 5 of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN) Model Tax Conventions. Both models define a PE as a “fixed place of business through which the business of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried on”. The existence of a PE is the prerequisite for the application of Article 7, which governs the taxation of business profits in the source state.

India’s tax treaty policy has historically and consistently shown a preference for the UN Model Convention. The fundamental geopolitical tension in international tax policy lies between the interests of capital-exporting nations (typically developed countries favoring residence-based taxation) and capital-importing nations (typically developing countries favoring source-based taxation). The OECD Model has been largely influenced by its member countries, which are predominantly capital exporters. In contrast, the UN Model grants more expansive taxing rights to the source country, reflecting the priorities of developing, capital-importing nations. As a major capital-importing economy, India’s alignment with the UN Model is a deliberate policy choice aimed at securing taxing rights over income generated from its vast consumer market and economic activities. Consequently, the unique and broader PE clauses found in many of India’s DTAAs—such as comprehensive Service PE provisions or limited “Force of Attraction” rules—are not anomalies but direct expressions of this foundational economic and policy stance.

2.3 The Shift to Economic Nexus

The traditional PE concept, anchored in physical presence, is proving increasingly insufficient in the context of the digital economy. Modern business models enable companies to achieve “scale without mass,” generating substantial revenue from a market jurisdiction without a significant physical footprint. This has catalysed a global policy shift toward establishing a taxable nexus based on “significant and sustained engagement” with a country’s economy, regardless of physical presence.

This paradigm shift is centered on the principle of taxing profits where economic activities are performed and value is created. This philosophy, which gained significant momentum through the OECD’s BEPS project, underpins India’s legislative push for the SEP concept and its assertive posture in international tax forums, advocating for a greater share of taxing rights for market jurisdictions.

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