In a strategic move to reshape India’s taxation framework, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to meet top representatives from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Tuesday evening. The closed-door discussion, according to senior officials, will center on the much-anticipated rollout of GST 2.0 reforms—marking a pivotal shift from the existing Goods and Services Tax regime that has been in place since 2017. The meeting is expected to gather key insights from industry stakeholders to help frame a roadmap for rationalizing tax rates and eliminating structural inefficiencies.

Sources in the Finance Ministry revealed that the government is keen on seeking wide-ranging feedback on several contentious issues, including the future of the compensation cess and the complexities in the current tax slab structure. With inflationary pressures and compliance challenges burdening businesses, the Ministry intends to balance revenue generation with ease of doing business. The industry body is likely to voice its concerns on sector-specific disparities and suggest a more uniform tax approach that boosts both domestic manufacturing and exports.

Alongside Sitharaman, senior secretaries from the Ministry of Finance and officials from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs will also attend the meeting. Their presence underlines the government’s commitment to collaborative policymaking at a time when India’s economic engine is gaining momentum post-pandemic. The outcome of this dialogue could pave the way for a cleaner, simpler, and more efficient GST model—potentially one of the most significant tax reforms in India’s modern financial history.