In the case of Union Carbide India Ltd. vs. CIT , before the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, the following question was referred for its opinion :
The assessee has taken the decision that certain technical information is necessary and he has engaged accordingly any person or agency. The Revenue in such a situation cannot say that the services of such person or agency were not necessary for the supply of technical information to a buyer outside India. It is indeed difficult to perceive why any seller will need any export agency's inspection, before the goods are exported or there is any contract for the sale of goods, unless he feels it necessary to do so or at least thinks, it shall be helpful in promoting the sale of goods, services or facilities, abroad. The judgment of the Calcutta High Court in the case of Union Carbide (supra) has gone by the logic that the concerned authorities were satisfied that the expenditure upon the report of the agency concerned for the promotion of export was necessary. It has, however, not said what may be the basis or what can be the basis or what should be the basis for holding that the inspection and report by any expert agency or person is necessary.
8. We have carefully considered the above decision. However, in view of the foregoing discussion we find it difficult to accept the same. In our opinion, "any expenditure incurred in India" for the purpose of export squarely falls in the exclusion contained in sub-clause (iii) of section 35B(1)(b) of the Act as it is an expenditure in connection with "the supply outside India of such goods". We find it extremely difficult to hold it to be an expenditure on furnishing to a person technical information for the promotion of the sale of such goods. Neither the inspection by the authorities have any nexus with technical information for promotion of sales nor does the certificate contain any such information. In that view of the matter, we are of the clear opinion that the Tribunal was justified in disallowing weighted deduction in respect of expenditure on export inspection charges.