Do Wealthy Indians Pay Enough Tax with Ram Singh

How India's Economy Works · May 20, 2025 · 27m

In this episode, journalist Puja Mehra speaks to economist and Director of the Delhi School of Economics, Ram Singh about why India's income tax base remains so narrow. Why do the richest Indians pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than the middle class? Drawing on his research, Ram Singh explains how India's tax system unintentionally favours the wealthy, and why income reporting becomes less honest as wealth increases. They talk about changes in compliance between 2014 and 2019, the role of GST, digital trails, and behavioural nudges like faster refunds in improving tax honesty…