Business Finance

FMCG Firms Say They Cannot Directly Pass GST Cuts

By BPN News Desk September 12, 2025

Consumer goods companies say that even though GST rates are being cut, they cannot directly lower prices for consumers. They argue that factors like input costs, packaging, distribution, and existing stock with old pricing make immediate price reductions difficult. Government Expectation The government, including the Finance Ministry and CBIC, has made clear that firms

Business Finance

Moody’s Sees Higher GST Revenue Loss Than Govt

By BPN News Desk September 10, 2025

Rating agency Moody’s said India’s recent GST rate cuts are expected to encourage household spending and strengthen demand. The reforms introduced a two-slab structure of 5% and 18%, along with a 40% tax on luxury and sin goods. Revenue Shortfall Could Exceed Estimates The Indian government projected a revenue loss of about ₹48,000 crore due […]

Business Finance

GST 2.0 Reforms Expected to Boost Consumption

By BPN News Desk September 9, 2025

Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, chairperson of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, said that the new GST rate cuts under “GST 2.0” are expected to drive consumer spending. He noted that while the reforms could lead to an estimated ₹48,000 crore revenue loss, this may be balanced out if industries pass on savings to […]

Op-Eds Opinion

GST 2.0 Is About Trust: Why FMCG Must Follow Auto’s Lead

By BPN News Desk September 9, 2025

When the GST 2.0 reforms were announced, the immediate reaction of different sectors told two very different stories. The auto industry wasted no time in passing on the benefits to customers, triggering a surge in demand and a rally on Dalal Street. FMCG firms, on the other hand, chose the safer route of tweaking packaging […]

Business Finance

GST Council Approves Simplified Tax Slabs

By BPN News Desk September 7, 2025

In the 56th GST Council meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new, simplified Goods and Services Tax structure. The overhaul reduces GST to two main slabs—5% and 18%—alongside a 40% rate for certain high-end or “sin” goods. Changes Aimed At Simplification And Relief The restructuring shifts hundreds of items, including everyday essentials like packaged

Op-Eds Opinion

Delhi Bans Rummy but Shuffles the GST Deck

By BPN News Desk September 6, 2025

The irony is too perfect. The Indian government banned online rummy, poker, and fantasy sports calling them “gambling,” thereby forfeiting nearly ₹20,000 crore in annual tax revenue. And yet, at the same time, it has embarked on its own gamble — GST 2.0 — giving up another ₹50,000–70,000 crore in revenues, all while running a […]

Op-Eds Opinion

GST Cuts Without Watchdog Risk Corporate Windfalls

By BPN News Desk September 6, 2025

India’s sweeping GST 2.0 reforms were announced with the promise of cheaper goods and services, from soaps to insurance premiums. Economists and analysts immediately began calculating how much this would bring down inflation, which sectors would get a boost, and what kind of stimulus it could deliver to the broader economy. Before those numbers could […]

Business Finance

Nirmala Sitharaman Demands GST Cuts Reach Consumers

By BPN News Desk September 5, 2025

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said businesses must ensure that GST rate reductions are reflected in retail prices, not absorbed as extra profits. She added that the government has put in place a monitoring system to track compliance and will intervene where needed. GST 2.0 Structure The new GST framework, effective from September 22, simplifies the […]

Expert Opinions Opinion

Cheaper Essentials, Tax-Free Insurance, Affordable Appliances and Cars: Inside India’s GST Overhaul

By BPN News Desk September 4, 2025

India’s Goods and Services Tax has finally undergone the kind of overhaul that touches every citizen’s wallet. The government’s latest reform order, unveiled as a Diwali gift, slashes rates across a wide span of categories — from soaps and shampoos to tractors and three-wheelers. Essentials drop to 5%, health and life insurance premiums are freed […]

Business Finance

GST Council Rolls Out Two-Slab Tax, Adds 40% ‘Sin’ Tier

By BPN News Desk September 4, 2025

The GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has approved sweeping reforms to India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST), effective from 22 September 2025, coinciding with the Navratri festival. New GST Structure Under the new framework, the existing four tax slabs—5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%—are replaced by a simplified two-slab structure of 5% and […]