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Friday, December 12, 2025
TopicFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Topic: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Nirmala Sitharaman is an Indian politician with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), and has served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs since 2019 (this is as of March 2024). In the first Modi government, Sitharaman served as the Minister of Defence between 2017 and 2019, thereby becoming India’s second female defence minister and the second female finance minister after Indira Gandhi, and the first full-time female minister to hold each of those portfolios.

Sitharaman first joined the BJP in 2004 and was appointed party spokesperson six years later. She was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2014. While presenting her first budget, she made a statement by replacing the traditional budget briefcase with a ‘bahi-khata’ with the National Emblem to carry the speech and other documents.

How Modi govt saved Rs 11,000 cr in 3 yrs & brought in financial transparency with this pivot

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
This system has also meant that the Centre can transfer money to states for a scheme exactly when they need it, rather than having to park funds in bank accounts for the full fiscal year.

Govt’s new income tax bill will require you to share passwords with tax officials during searches

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
FM Nirmala Sitharaman said draft Bill—tabled in Lok Sabha & sent to Parliamentary Select Committee for review—incorporated “substantial changes” from original Act. Tax rates remain unchanged.

‘Average tax under GST dropped from 15.8 % to 11.3 %,’ Nirmala Sitharaman says in RS Budget session

ANI -
Sitharaman was answering question raised by AITC MP Nadimul Haque on reforms under GST and if govt was planning to simplify rates & structure by reducing the number of tax slabs.

In Sitharaman’s budget speech, a verse from Thirukkural on good governance, a quote from Apparao

Sonika Kumar -
Finance minister had quoted Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in her 2020 and 2021 Union Budget speeches as well. Even PM Modi has mentioned lines from the poet on several occasions.

Union Budget: Tourism sector to get boost with visa waivers, medical tourism push & homestay loans

Vandana Menon -
The govt laid out a plan to make tourism a key sector for employment-led growth in India. FM Sitharaman announced a plan to develop 50 tourist destinations in the country.

Modi 3.0 gives giant relief to middle class—no tax on income up to Rs 12 lakh

Sampurna Panigrahi -
In Budget speech, FM Sitharaman said this will reduce tax burden & leave more money in their hands. The govt also raised TDS exemption limit & TCS threshold on foreign remittances.

Watch Live: ThePrint Editors discuss Union Budget 2025, pain points in economy & political expectations

ThePrint Team -
Apart from breaking down key Budget expectations, ThePrint editors will also analyse whether the government will revive its infrastructure push after a year of slowdown.

Budget 2025 highlights: Middle class gets relief as govt announces no tax on income up to Rs 12 lakh

ThePrint Team -
This is Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's record 8th consecutive budget presentation, coming in the backdrop of slowing economic growth.

Over-regulation is holding back MSME growth, states need to lead in easing these: Economic Survey

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
The next round of easing business regulations—a much bigger problem for MSMEs than for big firms—needs to be driven by states in areas of land, labour, transport, & penalties, it said.

As growth slows & capex falls, Economic Survey suggests prioritising ‘efficient’ investment

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Survey says that India, in light of significantly-changed external scenario, needs to focus on domestic growth drivers and reduce regulations impeding them.
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Opinion

IndiGo cancellations made TV news do the unexpected — question the Modi government

Shailaja Bajpai -
Republic TV was the harshest of them all: “The (civil aviation) minister has done a bad job,” said prime time anchor Arnab Goswami.

Why electoral ‘reform’ is cause for worry—the Modi govt uses it to cement political hold

The world’s biggest trade deal is in the making. India and EU must close it now

Economy

IndiGo’s profits dipped, most airlines sunk into losses last fiscal even as flier numbers soared

Udit Bubna -
Despite growing passenger volume, 11 out of 14 carriers reported losses in 2023-24. IndiGo recorded profit of Rs 8,167 crore, which reduced to Rs 7.253 crore in 2024-25.

Defence

Dubai Tejas crash revives focus on advanced, fully automated safety systems

Tejas Bhatotia -
Dubai airshow crash & pilot death have rekindled concerns over pilot safety, and need for smarter automated systems that can step in when G-forces, temporary loss of consciousness hit the pilot.

National Interest

Asim Munir & Pakistan’s Failed Marshal Doctrine

Shekhar Gupta -
None of Pakistan’s PMs has lasted 5 years. That the current PM has given Asim Munir 5 years shows that of all military dictatorships history has seen, Pakistan’s is most creative.

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