India Slaps Samsung With Tax Demand Of $601 Million For Evading Duties On Telecom Imports

印度对三星开征6.01亿美元税款，因其逃避通信设备进口关税


Reuters reported on the 25th that Samsung Electronics was ordered to collect taxes and impose fines worth about 900 billion won from the Indian government for avoiding tariffs while importing telecommunications equipment.

路透社3月25日电，三星电子因在进口电信设备过程中逃避关税，被印度政府追缴税款并处罚金共计约9000亿韩元（约合6.01亿美元）。

According to a Reuters report, India's tax authorities claim that Samsung Electronics misclassified imports to avoid tariffs of 10% or 20% while importing major telecommunications equipment.

印度税务部门指控三星电子在进口主要通信设备时，误报商品分类，从而规避了10%-20%的进口关税。

The item is a small radio frequency circuit module called 'Remote Radio Head', which is a key component that transmits signals from 4G mobile communication base stations.

争议焦点集中在名为"射频拉远头"的无线电路模块上。该组件是4G移动通信基站传输信号的关键部件。

Samsung Electronics did not pay tariffs between 2018 and 2021 when it imported 784 million dollars (about 1.1513 trillion won) worth of parts from South Korea and Vietnam.

三星电子在2018至2021年间，从韩国和越南进口价值7.84亿美元（约合1.1513万亿韩元）的零部件时均未缴纳关税。

Samsung Electronics submitted the results of the uation of four experts, saying, "This part does not perform the function of a transceiver, so it is a tariff-free item."

三星电子提交了四位专家的评估结果，称“该零件并不具备收发功能，因此它是免关税物品。”

However, the Indian government said in a letter submitted to the government by Samsung Electronics in 2020 that the part was defined as a "transceiver" and claimed that it was an "item subject to tariffs."

然而，印度政府在三星电子2020年提交给政府的信函中表示，该零件被定义为“收发器”，并声称它是“需缴关税物品”。

"Samsung Electronics intentionally made false reports even though it knew the correct classification of the items," said Sonal Bajaj, head of the customs bureau in India, in a non-disclosure order secured by Reuters, criticizing the government for trying to maximize profits and violating all corporate ethics and industrial standards.

“尽管三星电子非常清楚涉案商品的正确分类，但仍故意作虚假报告，”印度海关局局长Sonal Bajaj在路透社获得的一份保密命令中表示，批评其试图最大化利润，违反了企业道德和行业标准。

In response, the Indian authorities imposed a total of 44.6 billion rupees (about 763.6 billion won) in unpaid tariffs and fines on Samsung Electronics.

作为回应，印度当局对三星电子征收了总计446亿印度卢比（约合763.6亿韩元）的未缴关税和罚款。

In addition, Samsung Electronics' Indian subsidiary executives were fined a total of 81 million dollars (about 118.9 billion won) in connection with the incident.

此外，三星电子印度子公司高管也因该事件被罚款8100万美元（约合118.9亿韩元）。

In response, Samsung Electronics said, "This issue is a matter of interpretation of item classification by customs," adding, "We are complying with Indian law and considering legal action."

三星电子回应称，“这是海关对商品分类的技术争议，”并补充道，“我们遵守印度法律，并正在考虑采取法律行动。”

Recently, Indian authorities frequently collect large-scale taxes, claiming that the classification of imported items and related classifications are wrong.

最近，印度当局频繁征收大规模税款，声称进口物品及相关分类存在错误。

Germany's Volkswagen has been engaged in a legal battle in court over allegations that it has avoided $1.4 billion (about 2.563 trillion won) in taxes by falsely reporting individual parts to lower tariff rates while importing vehicles in a completely decomposed (CKD) manner for 12 years.

德国大众汽车公司因被指控在12年间通过虚报个别零件以降低关税而避税14亿美元（约合2.563万亿韩元），目前正在法院进行法律诉讼。

It also claimed about 15 billion rupees (about 257 billion won) in taxes for misusing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) along with the issue of classifying items such as Volkswagen.

它还因滥用自由贸易协定（FTA）以及物品分类问题，要求支付约150亿印度卢比（约合257亿韩元）的税款。

Reuters quoted experts as saying, "Samsung will respond legally, but it will not be an easy fight amid an atmosphere in which the Indian government strengthens control over foreign companies," saying the recent tariff controversy in India has become an investment risk for foreign companies.

路透社引述专家的话称，“三星将依法回应，但在印度政府加强对外国公司的控制的背景下，这将不是一场容易的战斗”，并表示印度近期的关税争议已成为外国公司的一项投资风险。