New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- Ahead of the Union budget, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday acknowledged investor concerns amid changing circumstances and said the government would consider the need to deepen and widen equity and bond markets while keeping its focus on trust-based taxation, ease of compliance and new-age skilling to generate employment. Asked whether the budget would roll out a red carpet for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), Sitharaman said she understood the sensitivity and anxiety among retail investors and equity market participants. She pointed out that the taxation structure had been similar in 2023-24, when India recorded its highest inflows. "Whilst I observe this with not being biased either way, the taxation structure was what it is today even in 2023-24 when we had good inflow into the country," she said at the Financial Express Leadership Awards in Mumbai. "Nothing differently was done for drawing investments. But, of course, the situation is very different now. Circumstances have changed. Challenges have grown. More FII outflows, net, have happened. It started resuming now. They've started coming back now," she said. Without disclosing specific policy details ahead of the budget, Sitharaman said the government would take investor concerns into account, given the importance of sustaining economic growth. "So, I know that circumstances have changed, and therefore, voices of concern are louder. I quite appreciate that. So, I'll consider all these, because at a time where our growth is very important, where people are putting their very best, that we are able to see sustained 7-plus growth, in order to keep that intact, we need capital and equity, particularly now," she said. "Although the last few years have been placing a lot of emphasis on bond market, deepening it, widening it. Now we also have this voice which says, come on, even equity needs that kind of support," she said. When asked again whether the budget would roll out a red carpet for the dollar, Sitharaman cautioned against framing the issue as favouring foreign investors over domestic ones. "He [interviewer] would be gracious enough to say, FM said red carpet for the dollar. And, after which Indian investors would say already there's a bias for foreign investors. You didn't want red carpet for the Indian Rupee?," she said adding, "So, on that ground, I don't answer you."...