SARGENT & LUNDY v ADIT [ITA No.8986/Mum/2010 (Mum ITAT)] dtd 24.07.2013 Background: The assessee is tax resident of USA. It is a consulting firm engaged in providing services to the power industry by providing engineering based services. The assessee received a sum of Rs.2,22,16,154/- from L&T Limited for rendering consulting and engineering services in relation to Ultra Mega Power projects. The assessee entered into agreement to provide ‘consulting and engineering services’ required by L&T “in the preparation of technical designs” for Ultra Mega Power Projects. L&T was to bid for setting up power projects. It engaged the services of the assessee for technical evaluation and preparation of necessary designs and documents. The assessee did not offer this income in the return on the pretext that such sum was not taxable as the services do not make available technical knowledge, experience, skill or know how within the meaning of FIS as per Article 12(4) of the DTAA between India & USA. However, the AO held that the services rendered were in the nature of ‘consulting and engineering services in preparation of the technical designs basis in the form of review of designs for Ultra Mega Power Projects and therefore was covered u/s 9(i)(vii) of the Act as well as includible in the scope of ‘Fees for included services’ under Article 12 of the DTAA.