The book seeks to examine the reforms it three individual segments of Indirec Taxation—Central Excise, Customs ant Service Tax. These together constitute 609 of the total tax revenues in the countr) While the three taxes are all indirect taxes the dynamics of reform in each of thes individual segments has been different The book seeks to .examine the tax reforms in each. These reforms have influenced the fortunes of a large number of manu-facturing sectors. However, in respect c' two—Petroleum and Textiles—th influence has been significant. In tw separate chapters, the past impact, th: present changes and the future course of action have been outlined. The book also has separate chapters on Central VAT and the proposed State VAT. The book is structurally divided into two parts. Part I deals with the past an..: present reform measures, while Part examines the future course of indirect ta reforms. The book argues that tax reform is a "Work-in-Progress". Expansion of the tax base is an important theme in all the chapters. One immediate fallout of the tax reform in India has been the declining to' to GDP ratio, but this may improve wit. policy initiatives to widen the tax bas especially in the area of Service Tat phasing away of indirect tax exemptior, and nationwide implementation of Stat VAT. The book also looks at the indirect tas administration. Design of a modern tas administration is extremely important tc make the tax administration more assesse friendly and revenue efficient. By laying ot a road map for the future, the book offes useful suggestions for indirect tax reforrr to the policy makers.