印度税法对折旧的相关规定简介

Depreciation

Depreciable assets are grouped in blocks, and each block is eligible for depreciation at a prescribed rate (usually 15% to 100% for machinery, 5% to 100% for buildings, 10% for furniture, and 25% for intangible assets) on the opening value (net of depreciation charged in preceding years), plus cost of acquisition, less deletions, during the year. A deletion is the reduction by way of sale, discarding, demolition, or destruction of the assets and the amount realised is reduced.

Depreciation is restricted to 50% of the prescribed rate if the asset acquired is used for less than 180 days during the year of acquisition. If money receivable on the transfer exceeds the opening written-down value plus acquisitions of the block concerned, the excess is taxed as a short-term capital gain at the same tax rates as that applicable to business income.

Additional depreciation of 20% on the cost of new plant and machinery (other than ships or aircrafts) is allowable in the year of commissioning for manufacture.

Power-generating or power-distributing companies have the option either to apply the reducing balance method provided under the normal schedule or to charge depreciation on a straight-line basis. The straight-line rates are aligned to the power companies’ book depreciation rates.

Know-how, patents, licenses, franchises, and similar intangible assets form part of the block of depreciable assets, provided that they are owned and put to use in the course of their business and are eligible for depreciation at the prescribed rate, which is 25%.

Tax depreciation is not required to conform to book depreciation.