Nirmala Sitharaman: News
Nirmala Sitharaman is an economist, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician, and the Finance Minister of India as of 2021. Sitharaman did her BA in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College, Tamil Nadu. She pursued an MA in Economics and an MPhil from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi. After completing her education, she stayed in the UK for the next few years, where she worked with PwC and BBC. She returned to India in the 1990s and became an educationist. During 2003-05, she was a member of the National Commission for Women (NCW). In 2006, Sitharaman joined the BJP, and in 2010 she was appointed as the party’s national spokesperson and later planned BJP’s media campaigns. In 2014, when the NDA formed the government at the Centre, Nirmala Sitharaman was sworn in as the Minister of State (MoS) for Finance & Corporate Affairs and later for Commerce & Industry. In 2017, she became India’s first full-time female Defence Minister. After NDA roared back to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sitharaman became India’s first full-time female Finance Minister. She has been a Rajya Sabha MP since 2014.
GST Council's new goods rules: Who can stop, check consignments?
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has proposed stricter regulations for the inspection of goods in transit.
GST officers can no longer arrest taxpayers
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has decided to revoke the arrest powers of GST officers. The decision was taken during a meeting on Thursday.
GST process reforms to be implemented from April 2027: FM
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that all process reforms approved by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on October 8 will come into effect from April 1, 2027.
GST Council limits rate changes to once a year
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council will now consider tax rate changes only once a year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Thursday.
GST Council approves reforms for registration, returns, refunds, and enforcement
The 57th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has approved a series of process reforms aimed at simplifying registration, returns, refunds, and enforcement.
Union Cabinet clears ₹10,000cr fund to help SMEs grow
The Union Cabinet has approved a massive ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund.
US-India trade talks have reached 'plateau': Nirmala Sitharaman
India and the United States have reached a "plateau" in their trade negotiations, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.
India-US trade talks have hit a plateau, says Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US have hit a plateau.
MDR on UPI not influenced by external pressure: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has dismissed allegations that the decision to introduce a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions was influenced by external pressure.
No commitment to 5-day workweek made for banks: Indian government
The Indian government has denied any commitment to a five-day workweek for banks.
Rahul Gandhi alleges 'US pressure' behind Modi government's UPI move
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of giving in to United States pressure after a notification was issued by the Finance Ministry stating that banks and payment system providers cannot impose charges for UPI and RuPay debit card transactions worth less than ₹2,000.
BRICS dinner: Opposition parties' CMs skip event
The recent BRICS leaders' dinner hosted by the Indian government was attended by several chief ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled and allied states.
India met fiscal deficit target for FY26: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that the central government has successfully met its fiscal deficit targets for the financial year 2025-26.
High-powered banking committee for 'Viksit Bharat' on the way: Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government is expected to announce a high-powered committee on banking for 'Viksit Bharat.'
Centre approves trials of ₹10, ₹20 polymer notes
The Indian government has approved a proposal to conduct field trials of one billion polymer banknotes each in the denominations of ₹10 and ₹20.
Parliament clears taxation amendment bill: How it affects you?
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clarified that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will continue to remain free for consumers.
MDR on UPI applies to merchants, not customers: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clarified that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on digital transactions applies to merchants, not customers.
India gets new digital payment fraud watchdog
The Indian government has launched the India Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) to combat cyber financial frauds.
India's middle class set to drive 93% of consumer spending
India's burgeoning middle class is set to be the country's biggest economic driver in the coming decade, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.
French firms invited to invest in India's AI, clean-energy sectors
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has invited French businesses and investors to explore the vast opportunities India offers in artificial intelligence (AI), clean energy, healthcare, digital infrastructure, and financial services.
Indian economy facing challenges, could impact growth: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has warned that the Indian economy is facing several challenges, including tariff shocks and supply chain disruptions.
Asset management stocks surge after Sitharaman hints at more reforms
Shares of capital market-focused companies witnessed a major rally on Monday.
Indian economy facing challenges, could impact growth: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has warned that the Indian economy is facing several challenges, including tariff shocks and supply chain disruptions.
Modi government turns 12: A look at major tax reforms
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 12 years in office, several changes have been made to India's taxation laws and systems.
IDBI Bank should be sold in FY27, says report
The strategic divestment of IDBI Bank is now expected to be completed in FY27, government sources have said to Moneycontrol.
Ace investor Vijay Kedia wants LTCG tax on equities scrapped
Veteran investor Vijay Kedia has urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to abolish the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax on listed equities.
Vijay meets Modi after 12 years for 25 minutes
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Wednesday.
Sitharaman says focus on 3 'Fs' amid West Asia crisis
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for a focus on what she dubbed the three "Fs": fuel, fertilizer, and foreign exchange.
Why Modi government is staring at ₹1L crore revenue hit
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that cutting excise duties on petrol and diesel will cost the government ₹1 lakh crore in revenue.
Centre reviews IDBI Bank stake sale
The Indian government is looking for ways to revive the stalled sale of a majority stake in IDBI Bank. The move comes after bids earlier this year fell short of expectations.
How Modi government plans to ensure cybersecurity of finance sector
The Indian government is working on a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy for the financial sector, including banks, securities markets, insurance, pensions, and financial market infrastructure.
SEBI to launch C-KYC 2.0 for unified know-your-customer system
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is gearing up to launch C-KYC 2.0 by July this year.
Claude Mythos threat: Government banks to ramp up IT spending
In light of global concerns over Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI tool and its potential implications for financial data security, public sector banks in India are gearing up to ramp up their IT spending.
'Keep me awake': Kotak Bank CEO on rising AI threats
Kotak Mahindra Bank's MD and CEO, Ashok Vaswani, has expressed his concerns over the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including Claude and Mythos.
Bankers meet Sitharaman on cyber threats from Anthropic's Mythos AI
Senior executives from public sector banks and other lenders met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday.
Are Modi government's data center incentives harming local cloud players?
India's recent tax incentives for global data center investments are showing early signs of demand.
Harivansh Singh elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha deputy chairman
Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha deputy chairman for a third term after no opposition nominations were filed.
Lok Sabha passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill 2025
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with a voice vote.
Government forms inter-ministerial group to monitor West Asia crisis impact
The Indian government has formed an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) to keep a tab on the situation in the Middle East, ANI reported, citing sources.
'Irresponsible, harmful': Union Minister Hardeep Puri dismisses lockdown rumors
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has dismissed rumors of a possible nationwide lockdown in India.
Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill tabled in Lok Sabha: What's changed?
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has introduced the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.
Finance Bill 2026 tabled in Lok Sabha: Key takeaways
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has tabled the Finance Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.
Netflix to hire 300 people for new India studio
Netflix is expanding its footprint in India with the opening of a new Eyeline Studios in Hyderabad.
UPI records over 800M transactions in a day
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has achieved a new milestone, crossing 800 million transactions in a single day on March 2.
India's factory output weakens to 4.8% in January
India's industrial output grew by 4.8% year-on-year in January, slowing down from the 7.8% growth rate recorded in December 2025.
Fino Payments Bank shares tank 14% after CEO's arrest
Shares of Indian fintech company Fino Payments Bank plummeted by as much as 14.1% on Monday.
You can pay customs duty via EMI from April
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched a new scheme in India, allowing certain manufacturers to defer customs duty payments on imported goods.
How US tariff changes will impact India? Nirmala Sitharaman explains
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said it is "too soon" to comment on the impact of recent tariff changes in the United States on India's economy.
Bharat-VISTAAR, AI advisor for farmers, launches tomorrow
The Indian government is set to launch Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), an AI-powered multilingual tool, on Tuesday.