scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
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.

Nirmala Sitharaman tables Economic Survey 2024-25, Parliament adjourned for the day

ANI -
The document gives insights into the state of economy, and outlook for the next fiscal. The Union Budget will be presented on Saturday.

4 revenue secretaries in 4 weeks. Modi govt’s quest for ‘committed bureaucracy’ continues

D.K. Singh -
PM Modi evidently reposes more faith in serving and retired bureaucrats than in politicians. IAS officers must, however, be taking it with a pinch of salt.

‘Free’ electricity for the coop & the new economics of equality

ThePrint Team -
The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

How she likes her popcorn: Fresh, hot & taxed

ThePrint Team -
The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

Time to break out the (caramelised) popcorn

ThePrint Team -
The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

Why X users are congratulating Nirmala Sitharaman over world chess champion D Gukesh’s win

Mrinalini Dhyani -
At just 18, D Gukesh has claimed the World Chess Championship title by defeating China's Ding Liren, making a whopping Rs 11.45 crore in prize money.

Karnataka Police lodge FIR against Sitharaman, BJP leaders & ED officers over poll bond ‘extortion’

PTI -
FIR registered on special court's orders. Complaint alleges that accused 'committed extortion under guise & garb of electoral bonds', benefited to the tune of over Rs 8,000 crore.

India’s next cabinet secretary, TV Somanathan, is an overachiever with blunt words for pvt sector

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Somanathan, currently finance secy, will take over as cabinet secy for 2 yrs starting 30 August. A vital adviser to finance minister & close to PMO, he is vocal about views on taxation.

Budget 2024-25 has much to offer the middle class. Can’t be judged on tax exemption alone

Ashwani Mahajan -
Taxpayers with an income of over Rs 10 lakh are complaining that the middle class was largely ignored in the budget. Some fact-checking is necessary to find out if this is true.

Budget boost but many commitments to fulfil — what’s the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act cited by FM

Moushumi Das Gupta -
In budget speech, Sitharaman said Modi govt has made ‘concerted efforts’ to fulfill commitments in Act, which was notified in March 2014, 3 months before Andhra Pradesh bifurcation.
1234...10Page 3 of 10

On Camera

YourTurn

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.

Follow us

Copyright © 2025 Printline Media Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.