'Retrospective amendment to I-T Act not to impact FDI'

Chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu on Thursday said amending the Income Tax Act with retrospective effect will not impact foreign investments into India.

"I don't think there is going to be any negative effect on investor sentiment at all," Basu said while replying to a query on whether I-T Act amendment would harm foreign direct investments.

The finance ministry had proposed in the Budget to introduce a retrospective provision for tax on some types of international mergers.

"This is being seen as a one off thing. . . There were certain aberrations,

certain misunderstandings on the law that we have adjusted," Basu said.

Various corporate bodies from US and UK had cautioned that such tax proposals could dent India's image as an investment hotspot.

The issue pertains to a Budget proposal to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961, with retrospective effect to bring into tax net overseas mergers and acquisitions involving assets in India.

Such amendment will bring Vodafone type deals under the tax net.

Foreign direct investment flows into India has continued unabated with a highest ever monthly inflow in March at $8.1 billion.

Cumulative FDI inflows for the fiscal 2011-12 amounted to $36.50 billion.