Despite growing protection in the US, Microsoft says it will keep scouring for talent from its second-largest employee base.
FinMin talking to Irda on many issues, meeting Chidambaram this week.
The government would take a hit of about Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion) this year if it rolls back the excise duty of Rs 1.5 per litre on diesel it levied last week.
The company has launched aggressive recruitment programmes overseas, a top official said.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram will soon have to decide whether to stick by his predecessor's choice of former Reserve Bank governor Y V Reddy for chairmanship of the 14th Finance Commission, to be set up next month.
The finance ministry is instead thinking of expanding the list of services on which the tax would be levied under the reverse charge mechanism.
Move fits into strategy to expand in Europe, add to consulting capability.
The finance ministry may ask cash-rich public sector undertakings (PSUs) to invest in foreign assets that are currently available at cheap rates due to the global economic slowdown.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has called a meeting of officials from life insurance companies on September 1. The meeting is aimed at improving insurance penetration and addressing concerns of companies in the sector.
Information technology (IT) services major Infosys has said its increasing focus on the domestic market wouldn't erode the company's margins. Its strategy of selectively taking up projects that require the deployment of products and platforms would help the company maintain its margins, it added.
The Indian IT industry is in for a tougher visa regime in its biggest market, the US. Firms such as Infosys, TCS and Wipro that send thousands of techies on short-term business assignments to the US will now have to disclose personal details of these employees and names of the American companies they are assigned to.
The finance ministry has proposed to remove from the guidelines a clause on the lateral movement of small and mid-sized banks' heads to large banks.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is proposing a penalty on German sportswear giant Adidas' subsidiary Reebok India for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema).
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seems to be sitting on the proposal, while requests continue to flow in from states to add more names to the delegation.
Says invest Rs 1.2 lakh cr or offer special dividend or give surplus cash back.
As finance ministry officials remained glued to news flashes on the LCD screens in their rooms, others were constantly monitoring news on the web. The support staff got its share of the news feed by keeping a close watch on politicians visiting North Block, reports Vrishti Beniwal
From second homes and AC rail travel to private tutors, astrologers and marriage-makers come under the tax net
The finance ministry has asked state-run general insurers to increase premiums on health insurance, motor and other policies, and refrain from undercutting each other to get new business.
FDI cap may remain intact at 26% as Cabinet takes up legislation this week.
Tax amount of Rs 10-15 crore may be the threshold above which rule could be invoked
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