FM Sitharaman ready to hear out stock market tax debate

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is open to discussing the ongoing debate surrounding stock investment taxes, long-term capital gains (LTCG), and securities transaction tax (STT), according to a Bloomberg New Economy Forum interview on Tuesday. The speculation came as the market remained inactive in the late afternoon, with the minister's comments fueling the speculation.

However, Sitharaman did not disclose any specifics, citing her preparations for the upcoming Union Budget in February. She stated, "It may not be the best time for me to say what I will or will not consider."

Sitharaman emphasized that the government is making efforts to maintain strong economic fundamentals, which she believes should not be a concern for investors. In a separate discussion with investors, both in India and abroad, she touched upon the contentious issue of securities transaction tax. She admitted that the current tax structure, which involves both securities transaction tax and capital gains tax, parallels double taxation.

The minister participated in this debate, expressing her willingness to actively listen to the perspectives of all stakeholders.

Regarding the rupee, Sitharaman attributed its significant depreciation over the past one and a half years to external challenges and global uncertainties. She highlighted that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is actively working to curb the rupee's fall through various measures, such as creating a special window for oil marketing companies and tightening rules governing forex derivatives trades to prevent speculative bets against the rupee.

However, Sitharaman explicitly stated that the RBI's objective is not to fix the rupee’s value, but rather to allow it to find its own level.