Union Budget: India proposes tax benefits to establish domestic aircraft leasing
India’s finance minister on Monday proposed tax benefits for foreign aircraft lessors, as one of the world’s fastest-growing domestic aviation markets looks to establish a local leasing industry.
Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech proposed a tax holiday for aircraft-leasing companies and tax exemptions for airlines paying lease rentals to foreign lessors if they choose to be based in the country’s upcoming international finance hub.
India is developing an offshore finance hub called Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or GIFT City to attract foreign investors with close to zero tax, and top-notch infrastructure in an effort to compete with Hong Kong and Singapore.
