Philip Morris terms machinery cost charged by India partner as biz expense

Philip Morris International Inc's Indian partner charges machinery-related costs for manufacturing its Marlboro cigarettes in India, the company said on Wednesday, following a Reuters article that showed it may have circumvented foreign direct investment rules.

Philip Morris has for years paid manufacturing costs to Godfrey Phillips, despite a nine-year-old government ban on foreign direct investment in the industry, Reuters reported last week, based on a review of dozens of internal company documents dated between May 2009 and January 2018.

Philip Morris and Godfrey have said they comply with Indian rules.

India prohibited foreign direct investment in cigarette manufacturing in 2010.