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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India wants to expand rupee-based trade settlements to help countries facing hard-currency shortages. She also called for changes to the India-ASEAN trade agreement, saying it was skewed against India, and defended the decision to stay out of RCEP.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for an early conclusion to the proposed India-US trade agreement, citing benefits for bilateral economic ties and global trade. Her remarks follow signals from Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and US Ambassador Sergio Gor
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CAIT welcomed the Centre's decision to defer the proposed MDR on select UPI transactions, saying it will protect traders and MSMEs from additional costs, encourage digital payment adoption, and support business growth during the festive and wedding season.
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The GST Council approved major process reforms, scrapping tax officers’ arrest powers and raising the prosecution threshold to Rs 5 crore. It also eased registration changes, sped up refunds and widened input tax credit eligibility, without altering GST rates
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India-US trade negotiations are continuing but may have reached a plateau, with both sides finding further concessions difficult. She said the bilateral trade balance currently favours India as Washington seeks to reduce its deficit.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the proposed 0.4 per cent MDR on select UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 is not a tax or surcharge, with collections staying within the payment ecosystem and consumers not bearing the charge
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BRS working president K T Rama Rao urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman not to impose any tax on UPI transactions, cautioning that higher digital payment costs could affect young entrepreneurs, small businesses and financial inclusion
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The 57th GST Council meeting, originally scheduled for September 12, has been postponed due to the BRICS Summit clash and is now likely to be held on October 7 in New Delhi. Preparatory meetings of GST officers are set for October 5–6. The Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will deliberate on pending issues like input tax credit, refunds, and compliance.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman invited global companies to explore investment opportunities in India’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure sector during meetings in New York. She highlighted growth in AI, cloud computing, digital services, financial markets and the country’s reform-oriented business environment
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in North Carolina and invited him to Delhi for the Economic and Financial Partnership later this year, with both sides discussing stronger India-US cooperation
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met UK Chancellor John Healey on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, US, on Monday. The meeting comes during Sitharaman’s six-day US visit, with global growth and geopolitical conflicts topping the agenda
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged 3M Chairman William Brown to expand investments in India in research, advanced manufacturing, technology and local supply chains. Discussions focused on leveraging India’s talent and manufacturing capabilities to strengthen domestic and global supply-chain opportunities
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G20 finance ministers and central bank governors are meeting in Asheville to address global growth, trade disputes, debt vulnerabilities and supply-chain resilience. The talks are complicated by the Iran conflict, Strait of Hormuz disruptions, US sanctions proposals, tariffs and concerns over China
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for greater support in talent, ideas and capital to achieve the Viksit Bharat goal by 2047. She highlighted India’s fiscal discipline and economic management while addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Chicago
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India and Canada aim to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of 2026 and begin Bilateral Investment Treaty talks, while also exploring wider UPI use and targeting expansion of bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030
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Tamil Nadu has allocated Rs 200 crore for developing Mahabalipuram as an international-standard spiritual and tourism hub. Tourism Minister S Rajesh Kumar also announced plans for pilgrimage circuits, river tourism projects and training local guides to cater to global visitors
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged startups to expand beyond major cities and reach rural and remote areas. At the Rajasthan Youth Conclave, she highlighted government support, while Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma outlined Rajasthan’s growing startup, innovation and technology ecosystem
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The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has alleged irregularities and a multi-crore scam in the PM Ekta Mall tenders at Raidurg, Hyderabad. K. T. Rama Rao demanded cancellation of tenders and sought Union intervention, while Minister D. Sridhar Babu dismissed the charges as political drama, asserting transparency in the process.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, will create a technology-neutral framework for banking records by recognising electronic and digital documents, standardising certification and enabling their admissibility, validity and enforceability as evidence in courts
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Indian communists “total cowards” during a Rajya Sabha debate, accusing CPI(M) MP John Brittas of spreading confusion over UPI charges. She defended the Taxation Amendment Bill and reiterated that consumers will not be charged for UPI payments
