TMS Ep102: Repo rate, Revenue Sec Tarun Bajaj, markets, Rafale jets

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee is set to meet this week. Will it hike the reverse repo rate -- at which the central bank absorbs the excess liquidity? Most analysts expect it to do, given a sudden jump in government borrowings? Most of RBI’s global peers – including the US Fed-- have started or are planning to increase the interest rates too. 

After the RBI’s expected interest rate hike, let us see what the government is planning on the revenue front. Business Standard’s Arup Roychoudhury and Asit Ranjan Mishra spoke to Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj to know more about it, and also about the recent taxes levied on cryptocurrencies. 

A growth-oriented Union Budget bolstered the investors’ confidence, pushing frontline indices 2.5% last week. However, it also gave some anxious moments to bond market participants as the government’s record borrowing plan pushed up yields. Given this, the RBI’s monetary policy meeting will be keenly tracked by the markets this week.

Just like the bond yields, Rafale jets soared high in the Delhi sky when they made their debut in the Republic Day flypast this year. The 2016 deal to purchase 36 aircraft was overshadowed by a controversy, but it didn’t diminish the capability of this multirole fighter jet, which has given much-needed sting to the Indian Air Force. So, let’s answer all your questions about this French-made fighter jet and more in this episode of the podcast.

Watch video