Here’s How India’s Corporate Community Has Reacted To Nirmala Sitharaman’s Tax Bonanza

OfficeChai Team

India’s corporate community had been somewhat skeptical of newly-appointed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman since the beginning of Modi government’s second term, but today they’re singing a different tune.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been hailed by India’s corporate honchos after she announced a broad-ranging set of reforms today morning. Chief among them had been the reduction of the effective corporate tax rate from 30% to 25%, which put India at par with more developed Indian peers, such as Singapore. The government also announced that there would be no tax on buy-backs that were announced by listed companies before 5th July. The stock markets took notice, and rose nearly 5 percent, which is the highest single-day rise in years.

reactions to corporate tax cut

Several business leaders took to Twitter to make their appreciation known for the historic move. Uday Kotak, the CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, called it a “big bang” move. “It signals that our government is committed to economic growth and supports legitimate tax abiding companies.A bold, progressive step forward,” he said.

Biocoin founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, who’s often a vocal critic of the Modi government, said it was a great move. “My hats off to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for this bold but most needed move,” she said, adding that it would spur growth.

“Thank you Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama for listening to stakeholders and unleashing the Animal Spirits. This restart marks the beginning of the Great Indian Dream!” said investor Porinju Veliyath.

Financial markets journalists were just as impressed. Darshan Mehta, who works for Bloomberg Quint, said that the financial community would be telling their kids about the event years from now, about how their country had changed.

Anuj Singhal from CNBC TV 18 marveled at how the announcement had been kept absolutely under wraps, and no one in the financial community had an inkling that it was coming.

Within the startup community, the reactions were just as effusive. Snapdeal founder Kunal Bahl said it was an “incredible” announcement which would deliver a great boost to the Indian economy.

Investor Vani Kola said it was a laudable move, that would restore confidence to rejuvenate investment and growth.

Instamojo founder Sampad Swain joked that the announcement was the real budget.

And fund manager Samir Arora went a step further, saying the announcement was more significant than the last twenty budgets put together.

It’s too early to say how the reduction in corporate tax will actually impact India’s economy, but for now it’s created a euphoria that hasn’t been seen in recent memory.