Will Budget bring LTCG, STT relief? Here’s what FM Nirmala Sitharaman said

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday declined to indicate whether the government would make changes to long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax or securities transaction tax (STT), saying it was too early to comment as preparations for the upcoming Union Budget had begun.Replying to a question at an event, Sitharaman said investors in India and abroad had been discussing the taxation of capital gains and different asset classes and the government was open to hearing their views.“We are very close to the budget and the preparation for the budget has started, and it may not be the best time for me to say what I will or what I will not consider,” she said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, as cited by news agency ANI.Her remarks come a day after a report by SBI Research proposed abolishing LTCG tax on equity investments to encourage longer-term investments and help…