New Delhi: Switzerland has changed its
attitude on tax havens and is ready to give assistance to
India on the issue of black money stashed in its banks, a
former lawmaker has said.
"Under international pressure, Switzerland has changed
its attitude concerning tax havens and is ready to give
assistance in this regard to India," said Rudolf Strahm, a
former MP who held the post of Federal Price Regulator till
recently.
India and Switzerland are currently renegotiating the
bilateral double taxation treaty, which would help the Indian
authorities to seek details of Indians who have secret Swiss
bank accounts.
While there is no official figure on the huge amounts
of unaccounted money kept in Swiss banks, a petition moved by
former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani and others claims that the
amount involved is around Rs 70 lakh crore.
The Swiss government has already signed about 20
bilateral agreements with 20 countries on double taxation,
Strahm said.
"There is a process of change of attitude in
Switzerland concerning this capital from abroad," Strahm, a
former MP of ruling Social Democratic Party who is on a visit
to India, said.
Strahm said the Swiss government has declared that it
will give official assistance to countries on the issue of tax
evasions.
PTI
