DDIndia Business: Economic Headlines & Updates

Business

September 4, 2025 7:46 PM

Sweet or salted, popcorn now under single 5% GST slab

The GST Council has ruled that all varieties of popcorn will now attract a uniform 5% GST under the new regime. The decision ends years of confusion over how popcorn should be taxed. Earlier, loose salted popcorn was charged 5% GST, packaged or bran...

September 4, 2025 6:38 PM

GST rationalization brings most dairy products to nil or 5% rate

In a move to support India’s dairy sector, the 56th GST Council on Wednesday approved a rationalization of GST rates on milk and milk products. Under the new structure, which will take effect from September 22, most dairy items are now either exemp...

September 4, 2025 5:20 PM

GST reforms seen adding only 0.05% of GDP to centre’s fiscal burden: Bernstein

The sweeping Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms announced by the government this week are expected to have only a marginal impact on the Centre’s finances, with the fiscal cost pegged at around Rs 18,000 crore, or 0.05 per cent of India’s proje...

September 4, 2025 4:51 PM

Indian indices end marginally up as profit booking, IT stocks erase early gains

Domestic equity indices closed with modest gains on Thursday after a volatile session, as early optimism over GST reforms was offset by profit booking and weakness in IT stocks. The Sensex surged more than 900 points in opening trade, touching 81,45...

September 4, 2025 4:56 PM

GST rate cut across fisheries value chain to boost India’s Blue Economy: Govt

The fisheries sector has received a major boost under the latest GST reforms with a significant tax rate rationalisation, which will help in the reduction of operational costs, enhance competitiveness in domestic and export markets, and directly bene...

September 4, 2025 4:04 PM

Piyush Goyal urges India Inc. to pass on entire GST rate cut to consumers

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday called on India Inc. to ensure that the full benefit of the recent GST rate cut is passed on to consumers, saying it would boost demand and drive economic growth. Speaking at the Bhar...

September 4, 2025 3:40 PM

GST reforms can further lower inflation, allow RBI to cut repo rate by another 25 bps this year

The recent GST tax rate cuts can help lower inflation if companies pass on the benefits to consumers, potentially allowing the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to reduce the repo rate by another 25 basis points in the fourth quarter of this year, an HSBC ...

September 4, 2025 3:05 PM

India likely to grow 6.5 percent this fiscal; GST 2.0 to aid long-term growth: NITI Aayog’s Virmani

India is expected to log GDP growth of around 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal despite global headwinds, with GST 2.0 reforms set to provide a long-term boost to the economy, NITI Aayog Member Arvind Virmani said on Thursday. Speaking to IANS, Vir...

September 4, 2025 2:57 PM

FICCI hails GST 2.0 as consumer-focused, growth-oriented reform

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on Thursday welcomed the GST 2.0 reforms, calling them a consumer-focused and growth-oriented step that would bring transparency, predictability and stability to India’s tax syste...

September 4, 2025 1:55 PM

Auto sector welcomes GST rate cut, urges Centre to focus on electric vehicles

The auto industry has welcomed the GST Council's decision to rationalise tax rates, calling it a landmark reform that will boost affordability, spur demand, and accelerate India's transition to sustainable mobility. Leading industry voices said t...