Modi Says GST Stands Out as Landmark Reform - Logistics Giant Flexport Founder Ryan Says "Useless Paperwork" below Modi's post

SIBY JEYYA
Modi’s tweet, which has garnered over 10,000 retweets and 72,000 likes, frames GST as a transformative policy. The accompanying images depict a ceremonial moment in the indian Parliament, with Modi and other dignitaries unveiling the GST framework, symbolizing national unity and economic progress. The claim of reduced compliance burden data-aligns with the government’s intent to streamline the complex web of pre-GST taxes—such as excise duty, VAT, and service tax—into a unified tax structure. Official reports, including those from the Ministry of Finance, suggest that GST has simplified tax processes for businesses by eliminating cascading taxes and fostering a single market across India. The emphasis on SMEs reflects initiatives like the composition scheme, which allows smaller businesses with turnovers up to ₹1.5 crore to file quarterly returns with a flat tax rate, aiming to ease their administrative load.

Ryan Petersen’s response, posted under his handle @typesfast, offers a starkly different perspective. As the founder of Flexport, a global supply chain technology company, Petersen’s experience managing operations across multiple countries lends weight to his assertion. His comment about excessive paperwork suggests that, contrary to the government’s claims, GST compliance may have increased bureaucratic hurdles for some businesses, particularly multinational entities. This data-aligns with anecdotal evidence from entrepreneurs who report struggling with the GST portal’s technical issues, frequent amendments (over 900 since inception), and a multi-slab tax system that complicates filings. Petersen’s remark, which has received 227 retweets and 916 likes, resonates with a subset of the business community that finds the system cumbersome, especially when compared to regulatory environments in other nations.

The divergence between these views reflects the multidata-faceted impact of GST. On one hand, the policy has undeniably unified India’s tax regime, reducing interstate tax barriers and potentially boosting trade, as noted in web sources like Zoho Books and IIFL, which highlight long-term benefits for SMEs. The Ease of Doing business ranking for india did improve from 100 in 2017 to 63 in 2019, partly attributed to GST, according to the World Bank. However, the compliance burden remains a pain point. The GST portal’s inefficiencies, coupled with the need for businesses to navigate multiple tax slabs and frequent updates, have been widely criticized. Petersen’s experience may exaggerate the global comparison—India’s paperwork demands are significant due to its data-size and diversity—but it underscores a real challenge, particularly for foreign firms unaccustomed to such complexity.

Rai’s post, captioned “Logistics giant Flexport's founder Ryan Petersen doing a fact check of Modi's claims right under his post.. Videsho me danka baj raha hai ,” adds a layer of irony, implying that international scrutiny is exposing India’s economic narrative. The phrase “Videsho me danka baj raha hai” (the drum is beating abroad) suggests a global spotlight on India’s challenges, a sentiment echoed by other X users who note increased paperwork and mental stress for small businesses. This clash highlights a broader debate about GST’s implementation—visionary in theory but uneven in practice.



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