A lawyer for an Indian unit of German carmaker Volkswagen, said on Monday the country's $1.4 billion tax demand could become a matter of survival for its business in the country, as it continues to contest the order.
The tax notice was slapped on Volkswagen unit Skoda Auto Volkswagen India in September, with Indian authorities claiming the company was using a strategy of breaking down imports of some VW, Skoda and Audi cars into individual parts to pay a lower duty.
The senior advocate representing the unit, Arvind Datar, told the judges that if Volkswagen India were to pay all the claimed taxes and penalties - a total of $2.8 billion - the company, which employs 6,000 people locally, may not be able to survive in India.
"That is the seriousness of the matter... It's a matter of life and death now," he added.
Indian tax authorities have asked the company to pay taxes dating back to 12 years, reigniting concerns of lengthy investigations and litigation that could sour the plans of foreign firms to invest in the fastest-growing major economy.
Indian authorities alleged Skoda Auto Volkswagen India imported almost entire cars in an unassembled condition - which attracts a 30-35% tax - but evaded the levies by mis-classifying them as "individual parts" coming in separate shipments, paying just a 5-15% levy.
The unit went to court last month, arguing the tax demand will hamper its business plans and is detrimental to the foreign investment climate.
Volkswagen is a tiny player in India's car market, the world's third biggest, where its Audi brand lags competitors in the luxury segment like Mercedes-Benz, and BMW (BMWG.DE).
The court will continue hearing the case on Thursday.
In a stern warning to the automaker, the Indian government told a Mumbai court that quashing Volkswagen's demand to cancel a $1.4 billion tax bill would have "catastrophic consequences" and could encourage companies to withhold information and delay inquiries.
Volkswagen is set to recall 60,490 vehicles in the United States after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified a potential safety issue. The recall, which affects certain models, is due to a failure to display the gear position.
Volkswagen faces intensified strikes at German plants as workers protest wage cuts and closures amid union talks. With trust eroded, unions demand concessions, warning of longer strikes, while VW cites cost-cutting as essential to compete with cheaper Asian rivals.
Volkswagen workers in Germany will stage warning strikes over layoffs, wage cuts, and plant closures as talks with labour union IG Metall fail to reach a resolution.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
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The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
In response to President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs, a number of global companies are eyeing expansion into the United States to minimize the economic fallout from the trade measures.
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The European Central Bank cut its main interest rate by a quarter point on Thursday, citing rising trade tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff campaign. The decision brings the rate down to 2.25 percent, marking the ECB’s seventh cut in the past year.
Nvidia will take a $5.5 billion charge after the U.S. restricted exports of its H20 AI chip to China, citing security concerns. The move targets China's access to advanced tech, impacting Nvidia's key market amid growing global AI competition.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
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