30 July 2022
A debatable issue since you will be distributing as gift. Section 17(5) does not allow ITC for gifts. Will depend on contractual terms with your distributors
01 August 2022
I believe ITC could not be claimed as s.17(5)(h) of CGST Act, 2017 provides that for goods lost, stolen, destroyed, written off or disposed of by way of gift or fee samples ITC shall not be available. At the same time, free distribution may not be considered supply necessitating payment of GST. While the definition of supply suggests so, there is some specific circular from CBIC in 2019 that free sample distribution will not be considered “Supply”