As an individual taxpayer, if you were looking forward to Budget 2026 with the expectation of changes in income tax slabs, rates, exemptions, deductions, etc., you will be disappointed. There were hardly any noteworthy changes announced in these. However, the Budget has proposed a slew of changes, including immunity from penalty or prosecution for under-reporting…
At first glance, that sounds like a big win. Some of this money does come from real payments, such as licence fees and spectrum auctions, paid by private telecom companies. But a large chunk comes from state-owned BSNL, which is dependent on the government for its survival. Only this “income” isn’t real cash changing hands,…
The government is targeting the skilling of workforce in tier-II and tier-III cities, with a focus on labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, small-scale enterprises, tourism and medical tourism, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Sunday. A high-level committee will be set up to examine skill gaps across industries, assess the impact…
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the bond market regulators in India, and the government have been taking various steps to strengthen the country’s bond market. In continuation of these steps, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced new measures in the Union Budget 2026 to strengthen the…
Amid a fragile global environment marked by geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation and financial vulnerabilities, India’s path to progress in FY26 has been commendable. The Economic Survey 2025–26 reaffirms India’s position as the fastest-growing major economy, projecting real GDP growth at 7.4% in FY26 and 6.8–7.2% in FY27. This strong performance is driven, inter alia, by…
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her ninth consecutive Union Budget on 1 February 2026. Dubbed as ‘Yuva Shakti-Driven Budget’, the Union Budget focused on comprehensive economic reforms towards creating employment, boosting productivity and accelerating growth. FM Sitharaman unveiled a wide-ranging set of proposals in the Union Budget 2026, covering everything from direct tax reforms to…
The government laid out a fresh set of initiatives in the budget aimed at deepening India’s corporate bond market, with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposing the introduction of total return swaps (TRS) on the bonds and an incentive for municipalities to help them raise funds. The plan marks a significant shift in how investors can…
BENGALURU: The Centre has proposed ending a long-standing tax uncertainty for Indian units of overseas tech services firms and global capability centres (GCCs) by setting a uniform profit margin for taxing their IT services in the country. In the Union Budget for 2026-27 presented on Sunday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said a fixed tax will…
The Union government has proposed two targeted initiatives—Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana and Divyang Sahara Yojana—aimed at expanding dignified livelihood opportunities and improving access to assistive technology for persons with disabilities (Divyangjans). Under the Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana, the focus will be on skill development in sectors such as information technology (IT), animation, visual effects, gaming and comics…
Through changes to assessment and penalty procedures, alongside selective exemptions and relaxed safe harbour norms, the government is seeking to make the tax system less adversarial and more predictable—both for individuals and for multinational companies operating in India, a senior government official said on Monday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the…
