<h2><strong>1. Definition of "Export of Services" Under IGST Act</strong></h2><p>? As per <strong>Section 2(6) of the IGST Act, 2017</strong>, a supply of services qualifies as an <strong>export of services</strong> if it meets the following five conditions:</p><p>1️⃣ <strong>Supplier of service is in India.</strong><br>2️⃣ <strong>Recipient of service is outside India.</strong><br>3️⃣ <strong>Place of supply is outside India.</strong><br>4️⃣ <strong>Payment is received in convertible foreign exchange or in INR wherever permitted by RBI.</strong><br>5️⃣ <strong>The supplier and recipient are not merely establishments of the same entity.</strong></p><p>? <strong>Issue:</strong> Many exporters received payments in <strong>INR through Special Rupee Vostro Accounts</strong> as permitted by <strong>RBI</strong>, leading to uncertainty about whether such transactions qualified as "exports" under GST.</p><hr><h2><strong>2. RBI’s Special Rupee Vostro Account Mechanism</strong></h2><p>? <strong>RBI’s A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 10 (Dated 11th July 2022)</strong> introduced a <strong>framework for settling international trade in INR</strong> to:</p><ul><li>Promote exports.</li><li>Facilitate global trade using INR.</li></ul><p>? <strong>Under this mechanism:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Indian importers</strong> make payments in <strong>INR</strong> to the <strong>Special Rupee Vostro Account</strong> of the correspondent bank of the <strong>partner country</strong>.</li><li><strong>Indian exporters</strong> receive payments in <strong>INR</strong> from the balances in these <strong>Special Vostro Accounts</strong>.</li></ul><p>? <strong>Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 (Para 2.52(d))</strong> also confirms that <strong>trade settlements in INR through Special Rupee Vostro Accounts are permissible</strong>.</p><hr><h2><strong>3. GST Clarification on INR Payments for Export of Services</strong></h2><p>? <strong>Clarification:</strong> <strong>Payments received in INR from Special Rupee Vostro Accounts fulfill the condition of "export of services" under IGST Act (Section 2(6)).</strong><br>? <strong>Condition:</strong> The INR payments must comply with:</p><ul><li><strong>RBI’s Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016</strong>.</li><li><strong>RBI Circular No. 10 (July 11, 2022)</strong>.</li><li><strong>Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023</strong>.</li></ul><p>? <strong>Impact:</strong> Indian service exporters receiving INR payments via <strong>Special Rupee Vostro Accounts</strong> can now treat such transactions as <strong>exports</strong> and claim <strong>zero-rated GST benefits</strong>, including:</p><ul><li><strong>Export without payment of IGST (under LUT/Bond).</strong></li><li><strong>Refund of accumulated ITC.</strong></li></ul><hr><h2><strong>4. Trade Notices & Implementation</strong></h2><p>? <strong>CBIC directs tax authorities</strong> to issue trade notices ensuring businesses understand these clarifications.<br>? Any <strong>challenges in implementation</strong> should be reported to CBIC.<a href="https://cms.plasament.com/storage/shubham-pathak/circular-no-202.pdf">circular-no-202</a><br> </p>