India loses Cairn case in arbitration; asked to pay Rs 8,842 cr in damages

This is the second setback for Indian government related to retrospective taxation after it lost the arbitration case against Vodafone three months ago

In a major setback, the Indian government has lost an international arbitration case to energy giant Cairn Plc over the retrospective levy of taxes, and has been asked to pay damages worth $1.2 billion (Rs 8,842 crore) to the UK firm. The verdict came on Tuesday night, barely three months after India lost arbitration to Vodafone Plc over the retrospective tax legislation amendment. 

The Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague has maintained that the Cairn tax issue is not a tax dispute but a tax-related investment dispute and, hence, it falls under its jurisdiction. India’s demand in past taxes, it