Foreign influence has become one of the defining governance challenges of the digital age. Across democracies, governments are increasingly concerned about the ability of foreign actors to shape public discourse through funding of media organizations, think tanks, advocacy groups, research institutions and digital platforms. India is no exception. As cross-border capital flows become more sophisticated, concerns about opaque funding structures, hidden beneficial ownership and

Finance bill 2026 and its tax proposals on stock market transactions Focus: Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and Taxation of Share Buybacks The Finance Bill 2026 introduces two targeted but high-impact tax changes affecting capital markets: an increase in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on equity derivatives, and a shift in the tax treatment of corporate share buybacks. While narrow in scope, both measures have meaningful implications for market liquidity, investor behaviour