Reuters :
India’s government on Friday slashed corporate taxes, giving a surprise $20.5 billion break aimed at reviving private investment and lifting growth from a six-year low that’s caused job losses and fuelled discontent in the countryside.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that the effective corporate tax rate will be lowered to around 25% from 30%, which she said would put it on par with Asian peers.
Starting from the current fiscal year, any domestic company has the “option to pay income tax at the rate of 22%” as long they do not seek any special tax incentives, the minister said in the western city of Panaji where officials are also considering lowering sales tax on 20-25 products.
The effective corporate tax rate for companies will be around 25%, inclusive of surcharges, she said.
She lowered effective corporate tax further for domestic firms incorporated on or after Oct 1 to 17%, with the condition that they begin production by March 2023.
Foreign firms that have Indian subsidiaries or joint ventures partnerships with Indian companies can also get the lowered corporate tax rates, Sitharaman said.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said the moves augur “extremely well” for the economy.
“These are definitely very bold and welcome measures,” he said at a forum. “These tax rates take us closer to the tax rates which prevail in this part of the world.”
Indian shares surged more than 5% and were set for their best day in more than a decade after the announced cuts in corporate taxes to revive flagging growth in Asia’s third largest economy.
“This is bigger (news) than last 20 budgets,” said Samir Arora, fund manager at Helios Capital said in a tweet.
India’s annual economic growth fell to a 25-quarter low of 5% in April-June period.
Uday Kotak, head of Kotak Mahindra Bank KTMS.NS, said in a tweet reducing corporate tax rate to 25% is “big bang reform … It signals that our government is committed to economic growth and supports legitimate tax abiding companies. A bold, progressive step forward.”
While shares soared, bond yields spiked to a near three-month high on speculation that the government may have to borrow more to meet its expenditure needs for the year, as the measures will mean a revenue loss of 1.45 trillion rupees for the current year. The risk of missing its fiscal deficit target of 3.3% increases significantly as tax revenue growth is already weak.
The 10-year benchmark bond yield rose to 6.84% from 6.57% before the finance minister’s announcements, while the rupee was trading at 70.91 to the dollar from 71.
“On one side is the reality that 1.45 trillion rupees is sacrificed. On the other side is the hope that it will be recovered through economic recovery,” said Mahendra Jajoo, head of fixed income at Mirae Asset Global Investments in India.
India’s government on Friday slashed corporate taxes, giving a surprise $20.5 billion break aimed at reviving private investment and lifting growth from a six-year low that’s caused job losses and fuelled discontent in the countryside.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that the effective corporate tax rate will be lowered to around 25% from 30%, which she said would put it on par with Asian peers.
Starting from the current fiscal year, any domestic company has the “option to pay income tax at the rate of 22%” as long they do not seek any special tax incentives, the minister said in the western city of Panaji where officials are also considering lowering sales tax on 20-25 products.
The effective corporate tax rate for companies will be around 25%, inclusive of surcharges, she said.
She lowered effective corporate tax further for domestic firms incorporated on or after Oct 1 to 17%, with the condition that they begin production by March 2023.
Foreign firms that have Indian subsidiaries or joint ventures partnerships with Indian companies can also get the lowered corporate tax rates, Sitharaman said.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said the moves augur “extremely well” for the economy.
“These are definitely very bold and welcome measures,” he said at a forum. “These tax rates take us closer to the tax rates which prevail in this part of the world.”
Indian shares surged more than 5% and were set for their best day in more than a decade after the announced cuts in corporate taxes to revive flagging growth in Asia’s third largest economy.
“This is bigger (news) than last 20 budgets,” said Samir Arora, fund manager at Helios Capital said in a tweet.
India’s annual economic growth fell to a 25-quarter low of 5% in April-June period.
Uday Kotak, head of Kotak Mahindra Bank KTMS.NS, said in a tweet reducing corporate tax rate to 25% is “big bang reform … It signals that our government is committed to economic growth and supports legitimate tax abiding companies. A bold, progressive step forward.”
While shares soared, bond yields spiked to a near three-month high on speculation that the government may have to borrow more to meet its expenditure needs for the year, as the measures will mean a revenue loss of 1.45 trillion rupees for the current year. The risk of missing its fiscal deficit target of 3.3% increases significantly as tax revenue growth is already weak.
The 10-year benchmark bond yield rose to 6.84% from 6.57% before the finance minister’s announcements, while the rupee was trading at 70.91 to the dollar from 71.
“On one side is the reality that 1.45 trillion rupees is sacrificed. On the other side is the hope that it will be recovered through economic recovery,” said Mahendra Jajoo, head of fixed income at Mirae Asset Global Investments in India.
