Sitharaman emphasized that when individuals and institutions pay their lawful share of taxes, and when tax evasion is effectively deterred, societies become stronger and more inclusive. This commitment, she noted, is reflected in the design of India’s legislative and enforcement frameworks, which have evolved to confront contemporary financial challenges with greater rigor.
Highlighting the country’s efforts to curb illicit financial flows and undeclared foreign assets, the minister pointed to the stringent laws enacted to safeguard public resources. She also reaffirmed India’s active role in both the “exchange of information on request” and “automatic exchange of information” protocols that form part of international transparency standards.
According to Sitharaman, transparency is directly linked to India’s developmental trajectory. Public infrastructure, education, healthcare, and welfare systems all rely on domestic resource mobilization. When national wealth escapes legitimate taxation, it widens not only the revenue gap but also the development gap—a burden that falls even more heavily on developing economies.
Every rupee or dollar collected through transparent and accountable tax practices, she said, carries the potential to improve lives. Transparency should therefore be viewed not merely as a compliance requirement but as a foundation for sustainable development and fiscal resilience. India’s own experience, she added, continues to reaffirm this understanding.
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