Ministry of Finance

Russia's finance ministry has announced tax increases aimed at shoring up the country's military budget, as the war in Ukraine continues to strain public finances. The move signals Moscow's willingness to place more of the tax burden on businesses and households to sustain defence spending. Observers see it as evidence that the costs of the conflict are increasingly being passed on to ordinary Russians.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed an IIT Madras dialogue in Bengaluru, making announcements on India's economic growth, technology development and support for startups. The finance ministry's press bureau released details of her remarks, which focused on policy measures aimed at strengthening the innovation ecosystem and sustaining India's growth momentum.

Sudan's Ministry of Finance has signed an SMS service agreement with telecom operator MTN Sudan, according to Sudan Horizon. The deal is expected to let the ministry communicate with citizens or businesses via text messaging, likely for alerts on payments or government services. Further details about the scope, duration or cost of the agreement have not been made public.