‘India will always be third-world country if...’: Sushant Sareen slams 18% tax on caramel popcorn

The government’s decision to clarify the Goods and Services Tax rates on caramel popcorn has sparked widespread criticism, with security analyst Sushant Sareen and others accusing policymakers of imposing unnecessary complexities. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that products with added sugar are categorized differently for taxation, saying, "When you talk outside, it looks silly.but states say that we treat products with added sugar differently be it drinks or juice." Criticizing the move, he said, "India will always be a third-world country if we have a brainless bureaucracy and clueless politicians who penalize anything that remotely resembles upgrading products." Sareen further questioned the efficacy of the GST system, calling it "neither good nor simple" and accusing policymakers of prioritising socialist pretensions over common-sense economics.