BMW India CFO Carsten Lammers has expressed surprise at the extensive scale and prolonged duration of tax and Customs litigation in India, advocating for faster dispute resolution and simpler procedures to ensure business stability.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged income tax authorities to significantly accelerate the adjudication of taxpayer appeals.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Maruti Suzuki India's CFO, Arnab Roy, has urged the central government to introduce an amnesty scheme or an 'as-is' settlement option to resolve past indirect tax disputes, aiming to clear legacy litigation and foster growth in the automotive industry. Roy emphasised the need for a 'smarter way to address the past' to provide long-term certainty for businesses.
Homegrown pharma major Cipla Ltd reported a 39 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 785.55 crore in the first quarter ended June 2026, primarily due to a dip in sales in the North American market and higher expenses.
India's markets regulator, Sebi, has reintroduced rules allowing companies to repurchase their own shares through stock exchanges in the open market, effective August 1, 2026. The new framework caps the execution period at 66 working days and aims to enhance flexibility and efficiency for capital allocation.
The Sports Ministry has provisionally recognised the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) as a National Sports Federation (NSF), a move aimed at promoting motorsport and facilitating Formula 1's return to India. This recognition requires FMSCI to amend its constitution to comply with governance acts, and a Task Force is being established to assess the benefits and challenges of hosting major motorsport events.
The Sports Ministry has provisionally recognised the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) as a National Sports Federation (NSF). This status makes FMSCI eligible for financial grants and is a significant step in the government's efforts to bring Formula 1 racing back to India, with a Task Force also being formed to explore hosting major motorsport events.
An employee whose financial future is 60-80 per cent dependent on a single company's growth trajectory has no genuine safety net.
After four consecutive months of outflows, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have turned net buyers in Indian equities in July, investing over Rs 15,157 crore, driven by improving domestic macroeconomic indicators, a stable rupee, and better global risk sentiment.
That means making it easier to invest, protecting investors through predictable rules, and avoiding policy reversals after investments have been made, notes Rajeswari Sengupta.
The tax treatment of equity savings funds makes them appealing, especially to investors in higher income-tax brackets.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to provide tax exemptions to subscribers of the Unified Pension Scheme.
"Taxpayers with income from shares, mutual funds, crypto, ESOPs, or derivatives often incorrectly use ITR-1 instead of ITR-2 or ITR-3."
The primary objective should be to figure out a way to grow at 7 to 7.5 per cent with inflation around 4 per cent. Any policy that can help us get there must be experimented with. Those that work should stay. Those that do not should go, suggests Karan Bhasin.
The Indian Sports Ministry, led by Minister Manuskh Mandaviya, is establishing a dedicated Task Force to explore the revival of Formula One racing in India. This initiative follows a meeting with key stakeholders, aiming to assess the challenges and benefits of hosting major motorsport events, with a target of bringing F1 back by 2028. The Task Force will recommend a comprehensive policy framework to support motorsports growth, leveraging India's significant F1 fanbase.
MNS president Raj Thackeray questions the fuel consumption during recent election campaigns, asking if austerity measures are only meant for the common people.
Life cycle funds may suit people who are starting their investing journey. They may suit those who do not want to monitor their investments frequently. Busy professionals, beginners and delegators, who lack the time, information or interest to manage asset allocation actively, may find these funds useful.
From the financial year 2025-2026, the government has introduced a new column in the tax return form for presumptive taxpayers, requiring them to disclose their year-end investments. This requirement was not present last year.
Indian companies are increasingly turning to share buybacks as a preferred payout strategy, driven by recent tax framework changes that make them more tax-efficient for non-promoter shareholders and a fall in stock prices.
The support will be provided to oil-marketing companies (OMCs) in the form of interest-free advances through the ministry of petroleum and natural gas. The OMCs, in turn, will use the fund to provide ATF price stabilisation support to Indian carriers operating domestic and international flights.
Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava is pushing for increased government incentives for biogas-powered vehicles over hybrids, emphasising their net-zero carbon emissions and the valuable organic manure they produce, while also advocating for continued GST benefits for electric vehicles.
India's market regulator, Sebi, has approved the re-introduction of open-market share buybacks through stock exchanges, effective August 1, 2026, alongside easing debt listing norms for RBI-regulated entities and simplifying rules for mutual funds and alternative investment funds.
With more granular reporting and enhanced data matching, mismatches are likely to be identified more quickly.
A new report by ADP reveals that one in two Indian companies plan to adopt AI-powered payroll systems within the next 12 months, driven by the need for automation in workforce management, compliance, and compensation decisions. However, firms are increasingly cautious about data protection risks, especially with the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
The SC has gone a step further to state that even if one were to not apply the codified GAAR provisions, the judicial GAAR would continue to apply, point out Pranav Sayta and Bhargav Selarka.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn nearly Rs 43,000 crore from Indian equities in the first week of June, contributing to a total outflow of Rs 2.67 lakh crore in 2026, driven by a global shift towards technology and AI-linked opportunities and persistent rupee depreciation.
The Excise and Taxation Department, with the assistance of local police, dismantled an illegal liquor racket operating in the Pratapnagar area, recovering 170 boxes of alcohol.
'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
ITC reported a 6.1 per cent year-on-year growth in its consolidated adjusted net profit from continuing operations, reaching ~5,469.74 crore in the January-March quarter (Q4FY26), primarily fuelled by strong performances in its cigarettes and non-cigarette fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses.
Global brokerage Bernstein has issued a cautionary note, stating that India risks 'under-delivering on its potential' unless it addresses key policy bottlenecks and structural risks, including employment challenges from AI, limited manufacturing gains, and rising welfare spending.
Punjab's Finance Minister announces record tax enforcement outcomes for the financial year 2025-26, driven by intelligence-led actions and robust revenue protection, including significant penalties imposed and recovered from fraudulent networks.
Williams driver Alex Albon has expressed his support for India's efforts to bring Formula One back to the country, stating it would be 'fantastic' and he would be 'excited' to be part of it.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360 explains why cracking the UPSC exam is a dream for lakhs of young Indians.
Yield-generating instruments like Infrastructure Investment Trusts (Invits), Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits), and Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) are witnessing a surge in investor interest, contrasting with a notable slowdown in the equity primary market, which saw only one IPO in April.
The post-mortem report of a senior IRS officer's daughter, who was murdered in her Delhi residence, reveals strangulation as the cause of death, along with multiple injuries indicating a struggle and assault. A former domestic help has been arrested in connection with the crime.
Brokerage Bernstein has warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India risks squandering recent economic gains unless it accelerates structural reforms, particularly in jobs, manufacturing and innovation.
Ambareesh Baliga's quick take on the markets after the increase in STT on futures and options trading...
rediffGURUS Mihir Tanna, Vipul Bhavsar, T S Khurana, Vivek Lala and Anil Rego will answer your tax queries related to the Union Budget 2026-2o27.
