Govt seeks to drop 6% equalisation levy on online advertisements

The government on Monday proposed scrapping the 6 per cent equalisation levy on online advertising services provided by non-resident entities, a move that would benefit companies like Google, Meta, and X.

The proposal is part of 59 amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025, introduced by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in the Lok Sabha. It comes ahead of talks on a bilateral trade deal between New Delhi and Washington and the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by American President Donald Trump on April 2.