Source: Financial Times
At last, long-suffering investors in India’s economy have something to cheer about. On Friday, the country announced steep corporate tax cuts, sending the value of its main stock index up 6 per cent in dollar terms on the day and another 3 per cent on Monday.
The tax cut is significant, with the rate for manufacturing now on a par with low-rate jurisdictions such as Singapore. The message is that India is open to business, and that it aims not just to assuage investors’ concerns but to set a new path for growth. India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has been meeting investors and Indian diaspora on a US tour this week to make sure the message gets through.
It is about time. In a low-growth world, India and its regional neighbour Indonesia became investor favourites, boasting a combination that the developed world lacks: large populations and favourable demographic trends...
This article was originally published in the Financial Times.