Context: India has been chosen to help Saint Lucia as a partner country in strengthening its tax administration under the Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) program.

India to help Saint Lucia’s tax administration under Tax Inspectors without Borders Program

• Duration of the program: It is expected to be operational for 12-18 months.
• Partner countries: India, along with nations of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean will collaborate with the TIWB Secretariat and will be  supported by  UNDP’s Country Office. 
• India and TIWB: Saint Lucia will mark the seventh time that India has supported the TIWB program by providing Tax Experts. 
  • India previously helped countries like Bhutan and Seychelles.

India’s Role as a Partner Country of St.Lucia:

• Sharing of  Best Practices: India will transfer technical knowledge and skills to Saint Lucia’s tax administration and share best practices to strengthen the country’s tax administration.
• Focus Areas: It will focus on the effective use of automatic exchange of information under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) framework.

About Tax Inspectors Without Borders Program

• Launched by:  the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) &  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2016.
• It is a capacity-building program where partner administrations help the country by sharing the technical, skills, know-how, and best audit practices with its tax auditors.

Must Read: Data Point: India’s Widening Tax Base

News Source: Economic Times