Finland Times

Helsinki, January 17 – A Finnish minister has requested Indian authorities to resolve a tax dispute that mobile phone maker Nokia has been facing in the South Asian country, the government said.

Finnish Communications Minister Krista Kiuru made the request while meeting her Indian counterpart Kapil Sibal, asking him to help solve the dispute, according to a statement e-mailed to the media on
Wednesday.
According to Indian newspaper reports, the Finland-based cell phone maker has been facing dispute of over 540 million dollars of unpaid tax and the Indian tax officials last week raided its plant in
Chennai.
Nokia, which has been facing loss and planned job cuts, said it always maintains "applicable laws and rulings” in the countries where it operates. The company says it was fully cooperating with authorities
"to ensure they get the necessary information to help in their inquiry".

Krista Kiuru, also in charge of Finland’s Housing Ministry, during her discussion with Indian minister focused on future network solutions and the timetable for their introduction, the adoption of new
frequency bands and matters relating to foreign investment in India.

Representatives of Finnish companies also attended the meeting and the minister brought to discussion the problems that Finnish companies have been facing in India.

While talking about the Nokia tax issue, the minister stressed Nokia is a responsible company, and that it wishes to cooperate with the local authorities.

She requested the Indian minister to send a message to the Indian Ministry of Finance requesting quick settlement into the tax issue.
"Finland and India have such good relations that we can also discuss problems in a spirit of goodwill and openness,” the Finnish Minister said adding that Finnish companies, operating in India, are known for
their responsible way of operation.
“I am sure that a solution to the issues now discussed will be found", she said hoping that the Indian authorities will make every effort to settle the matters.