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Thursday, January 8, 2026
TopicNirmala Sitharaman

Topic: 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.

‘Peer-reviews by higher-ups’ & sentimental debate on tomato, onion prices

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

28% GST on gambling: Only on buy-in, not winnings, says Sitharaman amid concerns of double taxation

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
GST Council took its second-ever decision not based on consensus, on this matter, with Delhi, Goa, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu dissenting.

Govt to levy 28% GST on online gaming, casinos, horse racing. ‘No one wants to kill an industry, but…’

Yuthika Bhargava -
Finance Minister Sitharaman announces decision taken at GST Council meet, adds cancer drugs, medicines for rare diseases and food products for special medical purposes exempt from GST.

Nirmala hits back at Obama for remarks on Indian Muslims, accuses him of being hypocritical

Sakshi Dayal -
The finance minister said she was shocked that Obama has made such remarks when Modi was visiting the United States aiming to deepen relations.

Finance ministry ‘stands by reply’ on SEBI probe into Adani Group, refutes claims of ‘cover up’

Debdutta Chakraborty -
This was in response to tweet by Congress's Jairam Ramesh who said ministry & SEBI's statements were 'misleading Parliament'. SEBI has said it hasn't probed any Adani company since 2016.

Debt risks, international taxation discussed at 2nd G-20 finance ministers’ meet. No ‘final takeaways’ yet

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says progress made on various issues like regulation of crypto assets, restructuring of debt & taxation frameworks, but these are 'possible takeaways'.

Only Hindus are victims of violence on TV channels. Crimes are done by Atiqs, Ahmeds

Shailaja Bajpai -
Nirmala Sitharaman may have been correct in saying Muslims are not the target of violence in India; but on television news, they are frequently associated with violence.

India pursuing FTAs not just with UK, but also EU and Canada: Sitharaman in US

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Speaking in Washington, FM Nirmala Sitharaman also spoke about how World Trade Organisation must be fairer to all members & listen to opposing views.
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Budget 2026 must signal rail reform. End cross-subsidies, privatise operations & services

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Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.

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