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India-South Korea DTAA

Treaty signed: July 19, 1985  |  Effective from: September 12, 1986

● Live · Rates served from /api/tax-rules/dtaa/KR

Dividends

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Interest

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Royalties

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Capital Gains

Fees for Technical Services

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NRI / Practical Note: Few Indians reside in Korea as NRIs. The treaty is primarily used by Korean companies operating in India and Indian IT/auto companies doing business with Korean partners.

Key Treaty Provisions

  • Older treaty (1985) - covers major income types relevant to India-Korea bilateral trade
  • Important for Korean investments in India (Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Posco)
  • Korea has ratified MLI; India has also ratified - PPT provisions apply
  • Construction PE: 6 months
  • Korea companies in Indian manufacturing/technology sector are significant treaty users

Frequently Asked Questions

What TDS rate applies on interest paid by an Indian subsidiary to its Korean parent company?

Under the India-South Korea DTAA, interest is taxable at 10% in India. The Korean company must provide TRC from the National Tax Service of Korea and Form 10F to the Indian company.

How are royalties from technology transfer from a Korean company to Indian company taxed?

Royalties, including fees for use of industrial/commercial/scientific equipment, are taxable at 10% in India under the India-Korea DTAA. The 10% rate applies to the gross royalty amount.

Does a Korean IT company providing managed services to India create a PE?

Remote managed services generally do not create a PE (no fixed place in India). If Korean employees visit India for more than 6 months for services under a single project, a Service PE may be created. For persistent remote-service-only models without physical presence, no PE is typically created.

Browse all articles

20 articles
Art. 1
Persons Covered

Article 1 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs persons covered.

Art. 4
Resident

Article 4 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs resident.

Art. 5
Permanent Establishment

Article 5 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs permanent establishment.

Art. 7
Business Profits

Article 7 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs business profits.

Art. 8
Shipping, Inland Waterways, and Air Transport

Article 8 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs shipping, inland waterways, and air transport.

Art. 9
Associated Enterprises

Article 9 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs associated enterprises.

Art. 1015%
Dividends

Dividends paid by a company resident in one State to a resident of the other State may be taxed in the recipie

Art. 1110%
Interest

Interest arising in one State and paid to a resident of the other may be taxed in the recipient's State, with

Art. 1210%
Royalties

Royalties paid to a resident of the other State may be taxed in the recipient's State; the source State retain

Art. 12A10%
Fees for Technical Services

FTS - payments for managerial, technical, or consultancy services - are taxed at the treaty rate where a speci

Art. 13
Capital Gains

Article 13 allocates taxing rights over capital gains between India and South Korea.

Art. 14
Independent Personal Services

Article 14 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs independent personal services.

Art. 15
Income from Employment

Article 15 sets the taxing rights for salaries earned by an employee of one State who works in the other.

Art. 17
Artistes and Sportspersons

Article 17 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs artistes and sportspersons.

Art. 18
Pensions

Article 18 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs pensions.

Art. 19
Government Service

Article 19 of the India-South Korea DTAA governs government service.

Art. 23
Elimination of Double Taxation

Article 23 sets out the mechanism by which double taxation is eliminated - typically through a foreign tax cre

Art. 25
Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP)

MAP allows the competent authorities of India and South Korea to resolve disputes - particularly transfer pric

Art. 26
Exchange of Information

Allows the competent authorities to exchange information necessary to apply the treaty or domestic tax laws.

Art. 29
Entitlement to Benefits (PPT / LOB)

Treaty benefits are denied where the principal purpose of the transaction was to obtain them.

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