Deductions in respect of certain incomes of Offshore Banking Units and International Financial Services Centre

Section 80LA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 deals with deductions in respect of certain incomes of Offshore Banking Units and International Financial Services Centre. Where the gross total income of an assessee, being a scheduled bank, or, any bank incorporated by or under the laws of a country outside India; The Act came into force on 01 Apr 1962. Repealed by the Income-tax Act, 2025 with effect from 1 April 2026, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.

(1) Where the gross total income of an assessee, being a scheduled bank, or, any bank incorporated by or under the laws of a country outside India; and having an Offshore Banking Unit in a Special Economic Zone, includes any income referred to in sub-section (2), there shall be allowed, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, a deduction from such income, of an amount equal to—

(a) one hundred per cent of such income for five consecutive assessment years beginning with the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which the permission, under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) or permission or registration under the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992) or any other relevant law was obtained, and thereafter;

(b) fifty per cent of such income for five consecutive assessment years:

Provided that for the assessment year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 2023, the deduction under this clause shall be one hundred per cent of such income. (1A) Where the gross total income of an assessee, being a Unit of an International Financial Services Centre, includes any income referred to in sub-section (2), there shall be allowed, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, a deduction from such income, of an amount equal to one hundred per cent of such income for any ten consecutive assessment years, at the option of the assessee, out of fifteen years, beginning with the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which the permission, under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) or permission or registration under the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992) or permission or registration under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 (50 of 2019) was obtained.

(2) The income referred to in sub-section (1) and sub-section (1A) shall be the income—

(a) from an Offshore Banking Unit in a Special Economic Zone; or (b) from the business referred to in sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) with an undertaking located in a Special Economic Zone or any other undertaking which develops, develops and operates or develops, operates and maintains a Special Economic Zone; or (c) from any Unit of the International Financial Services Centre from its business for which it has been approved for setting up in such a Centre in a Special Economic Zone;

(d) arising from the transfer of an asset, being an aircraft or a ship, which was leased by a unit referred to in clause (c) to a person, subject to the condition that the unit has commenced operation on or before the 31st day of March, [2030].

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, "aircraft" and "ship" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Explanation to clause (4F) of section 10.

(3) No deduction under this section shall be allowed unless the assessee furnishes along with the return of income,—

(i) the report, in the form specified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes under clause (i) of sub-section (2) of section 80LA, as it stood immediately before its substitution by this section, of an accountant as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288, certifying that the deduction has been correctly claimed in accordance with the provisions of this section; and (ii) a copy of the permission obtained under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) or copy of permission or registration obtained under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 (50 of 2019).

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—

(a) "International Financial Services Centre" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (q) of section 2 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005);

(b) "scheduled bank" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (e) of section 2 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934);

(c) "Special Economic Zone" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (za) of section 2 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005);

(d) "Unit" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (zc) of section 2 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005).

Section 80LA, The Income-tax Act, 1961 (Act 43 of 1961).