Latest News, Updates & Breaking Headlines
File photo: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, with expectations centred on tax reforms, a revamp of the customs duty structure and measures to support economic growth amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty. The Budget is also expected to outline a clear…
For the Union Budget 2026-2027, India’s gems and jewellery industry is urging the government for a mix of GST cuts, customs reforms and policy changes to counter global trade headwinds and improve export competitiveness. In its pre-Budget memorandum submitted to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) highlighted measures aimed…
Budget 2026 is drawing closer and the real estate sector is seeking policy continuity, targeted fiscal measures and long-pending reforms to keep the sector on track.Acording to industry leaders, the updoming Budget can help strengthen confidence across residential, commercial and mixed-use projects by addressing housing affordability, infrastructure-led urban growth, access to capital and faster regulatory…
Representative image (AI-generated) As the Union Budget approaches, India’s cryptocurrency sector is seeking clear rules for digital assets. It is also seeking for a rationalisation of the 1% TDS on crypto transactions to boost investor confidence and encourage onshore participation.In the Union Budget 2025, the finance minister left the existing tax framework for VDAs unchanged,…
Representative file photo (Budget 2025) With more than Rs 1.52 lakh crore of customs duty locked in litigation, the government may consider introducing an amnesty scheme in the Union Budget for 2026–27 to bring closure to long-pending disputes and provide certainty to businesses, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP said on Thursday, PTI reported.The government could…
Ahead of Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said simplifying India’s customs framework will be the government’s next major reform focus, signalling a comprehensive clean-up aimed at making compliance easier and more transparent.Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, Sitharaman said customs reforms would follow the rationalisation efforts already undertaken in income tax and…
Strong RBI dividend to help stabilise finances The recent rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates is likely to create a net revenue loss of around 0.1 per cent of GDP in the current financial year. However, this shortfall may be compensated by the higher dividend payout from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),…
The recent rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) is expected to lift revenue growth in India’s organised apparel retail sector by about 200 basis points this fiscal, keeping it steady at 13-14 per cent for the second consecutive year, according to Crisil Ratings. The assessment is based on an analysis of nearly 40 organised…
States must strengthen their financial position to accelerate poverty reduction and ensure sustained development, Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal, Global Executive Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has said.“The central government’s fiscal deficit is fine, but the state governments are facing considerable challenges in terms…
