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About 88% of individual taxpayers have opted for new tax regime: CBDT chief

As many as 88 per cent of individual taxpayers have moved to the new tax regime and the government is not thinking of bringing in a sunset clause for filing income tax returns under the old regime, CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal said on Wednesday. He said selecting a particular tax regime is the choice of the taxpayers, but the response to the new regime has been "very good". "I can tell you that when ITR 1, 2, 3 and 4 are taken together (income tax return forms used by individuals), about 88 per cent of people have moved to the new tax regime. "And insofar as presumptive tax cases, about 97 per cent of the taxpayers have moved to the new tax regime. For corporates, about 60 per cent of the income is now being reflected in the new tax regime," Agrawal told PTI during a post-Budget interview. We believe, he said, with the new MAT (minimum alternate tax) provisions coming in the FY27 Budget, "it will also persuade people to move to the new tax regime". MAT, meant only for companies, is

About 88% of individual taxpayers have opted for new tax regime: CBDT chief
Updated On : 04 Feb 2026 | 9:41 PM IST

No tax risk for foreign companies setting up data centres in India: FinMin

The Budget proposal of a 20-year tax holiday to foreign companies which provide cloud services globally will be available only to those which have set up a MeitY-notified data centre in India, and there will not be any risk for such overseas firms of their global income being taxed in India on this account, sources said on Wednesday. Finance Ministry sources also said that the Budget announcement would also give certainty to foreign companies that are in the business of providing cloud services and procurement services from a data centre in India. "Now Indian data centres can confidently offer their services to such global cloud entities, without these global entities perceiving any tax risk if they use Indian data centres," sources added. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her 2026-27 Budget, had proposed to provide a tax holiday till 2047 to any foreign company that provides cloud services to customers globally by using data centre services from India. It will, however, need

No tax risk for foreign companies setting up data centres in India: FinMin
Updated On : 04 Feb 2026 | 1:55 PM IST

Why Budget tax sops to attract foreign investment upset Indian data centres

The new Budget provides for tax sops to attract more foreign investments in India's data centres. So why are some Indian players upset?

Why Budget tax sops to attract foreign investment upset Indian data centres
Updated On : 04 Feb 2026 | 12:30 AM IST

Old vs new tax regime in Budget 2026: Which regime actually saves you more? | Income tax

Budget 2026 has not changed income tax slabs for FY27. But that does not mean your tax bill stays the same. The choice between the old and new tax regimes still matters and for many, it can mean the d

Icon YoutubeOld vs new tax regime in Budget 2026: Which regime actually saves you more? | Income tax
Updated On : 03 Feb 2026 | 11:19 AM IST

India's tax strategy: Attracting capital and tech, building resilience

Budget 2026-27 sharpens India's tax strategy to boost manufacturing, services, GCCs and digital infrastructure, while improving certainty and long-term investor confidence

India's tax strategy: Attracting capital and tech, building resilience
Updated On : 03 Feb 2026 | 12:07 AM IST

STT hike clouds trading volume growth outlook and revenue targets

Last year, the government had projected a record Rs 78,000 crore in STT collections for the ongoing fiscal, a figure that has since been cut by 18 per cent amid a sharp decline in trading volumes

STT hike clouds trading volume growth outlook and revenue targets
Updated On : 02 Feb 2026 | 10:43 PM IST

Budget 2026 move on MACT interest seen cutting litigation, speeding claims

Budget 2026 proposes exempting interest awarded by motor accident tribunals from income tax and TDS, a move experts say will reduce disputes for insurers and help victims receive compensation faster

Budget 2026 move on MACT interest seen cutting litigation, speeding claims
Updated On : 02 Feb 2026 | 8:39 PM IST

Budget 2026-27: A reformist reckoner for taxes, certainty and relief

Budget 2026 signals a decisive push to cut tax litigation, decriminalise defaults and offer long-term certainty as India prepares to roll out the new income-tax law

Budget 2026-27: A reformist reckoner for taxes, certainty and relief
Updated On : 01 Feb 2026 | 11:25 PM IST

Budget 2026-27: Tax nudges and tight fiscal math test growth assumptions

Budget 2026 seeks to attract investment through tax nudges and selective incentives, while maintaining fiscal discipline amid global uncertainty and uneven revenue growth

Budget 2026-27: Tax nudges and tight fiscal math test growth assumptions
Updated On : 01 Feb 2026 | 11:13 PM IST

What Budget 2026 means for common citizens

What does Budget 2026 mean for common citizens? This video explains the key announcements and how they impact daily expenses, taxes, savings, and household finances.

Icon YoutubeWhat Budget 2026 means for common citizens
Updated On : 01 Feb 2026 | 10:00 PM IST

Union Budget 2026 Decoded: Continuity or Change? | Capex | Direct & Indirect tax | STT hike

Union Budget 2026 is out, but does it signal continuity or real change? In this video, we decode the Budget’s key priorities — from spending and capex to taxes, fiscal discipline

Icon YoutubeUnion Budget 2026 Decoded: Continuity or Change? | Capex | Direct & Indirect tax | STT hike
Updated On : 01 Feb 2026 | 9:06 PM IST

Union Budget 2026 explained: Key highlights of the Budget you must know | Income Tax slab

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today. In her ninth consecutive Budget, she outlined a growth-focused roadmap anchored in higher public spending

Icon YoutubeUnion Budget 2026 explained: Key highlights of the Budget you must know | Income Tax slab
Updated On : 01 Feb 2026 | 8:23 PM IST

Budget 2026: Tax transition India needs to shift to residence-based regime

The Budget should consider moving to a residence-based tax regime, exempting foreign investors from long-term capital gains tax

Budget 2026: Tax transition India needs to shift to residence-based regime
Updated On : 27 Jan 2026 | 10:53 PM IST

Stakeholders seek further tax reforms, higher standard deduction in Budget

With many income tax incentives already expired or approaching sunset, 34% of respondents said they expected the government to bring back a manufacturing-linked lower tax rate regime

Stakeholders seek further tax reforms, higher standard deduction in Budget
Updated On : 27 Jan 2026 | 8:18 PM IST

Union Budget 2026: What is disinvestment and why it matters in the Budget 2026 | Budget expectations

The government needs money. But does it always have to raise taxes? In this episode of Budget Basics, we break down disinvestment, what it really means, how it works inside the Union Budget,

Icon YoutubeUnion Budget 2026: What is disinvestment and why it matters in the Budget 2026 | Budget expectations
Updated On : 27 Jan 2026 | 12:41 PM IST

What is tax buoyancy and how does it shape the Budget? | Union Budget 2026

In this episode of Budget Basics, we decode tax buoyancy, a small term with big budget impact. What does it really mean? Why does the government track it so closely? And why should you care?

Icon YoutubeWhat is tax buoyancy and how does it shape the Budget? | Union Budget 2026
Updated On : 26 Jan 2026 | 12:56 PM IST

Budget in Charts: Who bears the tax burden?

Who actually bears the tax burden in India? This video breaks down direct vs indirect taxes, tracks tax collection trends from FY19 to FY25, and explains what the numbers reveal

Icon YoutubeBudget in Charts: Who bears the tax burden?
Updated On : 21 Jan 2026 | 12:44 PM IST

From Azadi to Tiger: A paradigm shift in India's treaty landscape

SC's Tiger Global ruling marks a shift in India's tax jurisprudence, unsettling treaty certainty, expanding anti-avoidance scrutiny and raising concerns over predictability for foreign investors

From Azadi to Tiger: A paradigm shift in India's treaty landscape
Updated On : 19 Jan 2026 | 10:34 PM IST

Strong start to year but deregulation holds key to competitiveness

From the finance ministry came a mix of revenue-raising and trade-defence actions. Taxes on tobacco products will increase from the beginning of next month

Strong start to year but deregulation holds key to competitiveness
Updated On : 04 Jan 2026 | 11:42 PM IST

ITC sheds $7 billion as tax hike on tobacco products triggers rating cuts

ITC shares slump as steep excise duty hike on cigarettes wipes out over $7 billion in market value and triggers a spate of brokerage downgrades

ITC sheds $7 billion as tax hike on tobacco products triggers rating cuts
Updated On : 02 Jan 2026 | 8:50 PM IST