archiveNirmala Sitharaman

India's foreign exchange reserves stand at USD 658.8 billion, enough to cover 11 months of imports, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha.New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) India is the fourth largest country to hold foreign exchange reserves of USD 658.8 billion, enough to meet the country's imports for 11 months, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.Replying to supplementaries during the question hour, she assured members of their concerns on the foreign exchange reserves and the current account deficit."I want to assure you that total...

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday announced a significant hike in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector — from 74% to 100% — paving the way for the entry of global insurance giants, substantial foreign investments and tough competition in the Indian market.The government will hopes this major reform boosts insurance penetration in the country, which, as per an IRDAI report, was at 3.7% in 2023-24. The global insurance penetration at the same time was 7%. With the 100% FDI, foreign insurers will have full autonomy to operate...

Budget 2025: The Indian stock market experienced high volatility on Saturday, February 1, following the FY26 Union Budget announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. While the budget introduced major changes in income tax slabs, shifting more money into the hands of middle-class consumers, market sentiment remained mixed due to concerns over government capital expenditure (capex) allocation.A key takeaway from the budget was the increase in the income tax exemption limit to ₹12 lakh, a significant move aimed at boosting household consumption, savings, and investment. There had been widespread expectations that...