Cancer Meds Get Cheaper: GST Council Slashes Tax On 33 Lifesaving Drugs

In what seems like a major public health push, the GST Council has cut GST on medicines, including 33 lifesaving drugs and 3 cancer/rare-disease medicines, to nil, and reduced GST on most other medicines and medical devices.

In a now-deleted post on X, the Congress said that "Bidis and Bihar start with B" and "cannot be considered a sin anymore", referring to the GST cut on the tobacco product.

The impact per order is expected to be modest but significant at scale.

For a student of political communication, this week has been fodder. The language used to describe GST reforms has been nothing short of grand. "Landmark". "Biggest ever since the 1990s". The Opposition has been advocating for such 'reforms' for eigh

The task of winding up multiple myriad taxes that used to operate before 2014 and shifting to a cleaner, more efficient system was such that testing out the new system was not possible, PM Modi's economic advisor said today.

P Chidambaram -- Congress's former Union Minister who handled the finance portfolio -- said today that while the rationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax law is welcome, it is eight years too late.

From September 22, 2025, all individual life and health insurance premiums will attract 0% GST, down from 18%. Announced after the 56th GST Council meeting, this move cuts upfront costs, may widen coverage, and nudges households to buy adequate prote

The Union Minister announced the new GST structure for the country, bringing the GST rate on smaller cars down to 18 per cent.

The rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax is the "biggest reform since Independence," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the new GST structure yesterday, with bikes above the 350cc category receiving 40 per cent GST.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on the rationalization of Goods and Services Tax today, attacked the Opposition Congress, pointing out that they taxed anything and everything -- daily essentials, food and medicine

The rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax slabs - from four to two, and exemption of certain items, including premiums for health and life insurance - reflect a "holistic and well thought-out" decision, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said.

The rationalisation of Goods and Services tax, done eight years after the flagship reforms were initiated, took place after a clear directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day.

The premium wear segment accounts for about 18% of the apparel industr,y worth $70 billion