“That is something we really need our government to understand and address.
It needs to let go of the British bureaucracy which was set in. There is a
lot of paperwork involved and a huge amount of money to be paid up front.”
JPSI has urged the Indian government to adopt a Singapore-style arrangement
wherein a ‘custom bonded area’ is declared that enables the teams to fly
their equipment in to the country, take it directly to the circuit and then
return it via a same channel, thus eliminating the need to pay customs.
This is a problem in India, however, where Formula One racing is classified as
a form of entertainment and not as a sport.
The local state government in Uttar Pradesh has granted JPSI an exemption from
paying any entertainment and luxury taxes, a decision which has been
questioned by India’s Supreme Court.