India

Finance Minister Urges Independent Tax Research to Prioritize National Interest

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Finance Minister Urges Independent Tax Research to Prioritize National Interest
Photo: Nirmala Sitharaman said a mature tax policy debate must go beyond sectoral considerations. File | Photo Credit: PTI

On September 16, 2026, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called for independent research on tax policy to become part of public discourse. Speaking at the Eighth International Tax Conference on ‘New Age Taxation’ in Bengaluru, organised by the International Tax Research and Analysis Foundation, she urged tax professionals to look beyond sectoral interests and put the national interest first. Ms. Sitharaman said the government had deliberately rationalised provisions relating to Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS), raised thresholds and reduced unnecessary criminal consequences. On international taxation, she noted that India had renegotiated its tax treaties with Mauritius, Singapore and Cyprus to restore its right to tax capital gains at source. Published – September 16, 2026 01:33 pm IST

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