Budget 2026-27 LIVE: Union Budget to maintain growth momentum, says FM Sitharaman

Budget 2026 LIVE updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 9th straight Union Budget in Lok Sabha; catch live updates here

3:48 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: GI Group’s Sonal Arora welcomes Union Budget 2026-27

Sonal Arora, Country Manager, GI Group Holding: In order to align  India's education system with the needs of a services-led economy, it is required that we bridge the gap between employment and employability. With the decision to form a high powered Education to Employment and Enterprise' Standing Committee, the government is recognizing the critical need to focus on employability by linking education to employment and entrepreneurship. As a nation, we need to strongly encourage innovation and entrepreneurship to create more employment opportunities. Additionally, there is a need to address the existing employability gaps in youth as well as evaluate the effects of emerging new technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning on jobs and skills. This framework can support India's goal of becoming a worldwide leader in services by 2047 and help us develop a workforce prepared for the future

3:44 PM

HDFC Bank’s Sakshi Gupta says Budget 2026 backs manufacturing, services, and banking reforms

Sakshi Gupta – Principal Economist, HDFC Bank: Admid rising global uncertainties, the budget focusses on laying down a medium-term roadmap for boosting domestic growth and productivity. Unlike the previous budget where a push to consumption was prioritised through income tax rationalisation, this budget shifted attention towards promoting manufacturing and the service sector. The setting up of a standing committee for the banking system to achieve the Viksit Bharat goal and focus on tourism, health, education and skilling underpin the government’s policy emphasis on increasing the share of Indian service sector in global services to 10%.

3:42 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: DBS Bank Executive Director says Budget 2026-27 supports banking sector

Radhika Rao, Executive Director and Senior Economist at DBS Bank: "The FY27 Budget aligns fiscal discipline with strategic priorities. Allocations have been increased for infrastructure, alongside measures to strengthen domestic capabilities across both key labour-intensive and emerging sectors. Banking sector development remains a priority to foster inclusive growth and is complemented by enhanced financing support for MSMEs. Service sector activity is expected to benefit from targeted interventions, including support for cloud services through data centres, promotion of medical value tourism, continuation of safe harbour provisions, and exemptions on global income for non-resident experts. On the tax front, constructive measures, particularly customs duty exemptions, are aimed at reducing production costs."

3:36 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Noise co-founder Amit Khatri hails Budget for boosting electronics manufacturing

Amit Khatri, Co-founder, Noise: “The Union Budget 2026 sets a clear direction towards Viksit Bharat, anchored in inclusive growth, global competitiveness, and a strong push to accelerate India’s next phase of economic expansion. As a growing economy with expanding trade and capital needs, India’s continued integration with global markets through exports and long-term investment, combined with a strong focus on technology-led manufacturing, sends a decisive signal of intent to position the country as a global leader in electronics and innovation.

3:34 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Lava International’s Sanjeev Agarwal welcomes ECMS expansion

Mr Sanjeev Agarwal, Executive Director & Chief Manufacturing Officer, Lava International Limited, said: “The expansion of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme to ₹40,000 crore is an encouraging move to strengthen India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem. For ECMS to deliver its intended impact, it will be important to ensure that the necessary infrastructural enablers are set up, along with timely and effective implementation. This will be key to translating the policy intent into outcomes.”

 

3:33 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Union Budget blind to India's real crises, says Rahul Gandhi

3:32 PM

ITC Hotels’ Anil Chadha hails Budget 2026 for strengthening India’s tourism sector

Anil Chadha, Managing Director, ITC Hotels: The Budget’s renewed focus on tourism is a strong vote of confidence in an industry that creates livelihoods at scale, supporting local entrepreneurs, artisans, and communities across the tourism value chain. The proposed up gradation of National IHMs and the NCHMT (National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology), alongside structured guide skilling initiatives, will significantly strengthen service quality and global competitiveness in hospitality. The emphasis on medical tourism further positions India as a trusted destination combining care, capability and hospitality. Equally transformative is the push towards a digital and AI-enabled tourism knowledge framework, which will enhance discoverability, planning and destination management. 

3:29 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Shriram General Insurance hails Union Budget for boosting capex

Ashwani Dhanawat, Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer, Shriram General Insurance: The 2026-27 Union Budget delivers a robust, reform-oriented roadmap for Viksit Bharat. It sustains high capex momentum (up to ₹12.2 lakh crore), accelerates manufacturing in frontier sectors (e.g., ISM 2.0 with ₹40,000 crore, BioPharma Shakti at ₹10,000 crore), rejuvenates legacy clusters, champions MSMEs through equity funds and liquidity tweaks, and pushes infrastructure with high-speed rail corridors, waterways, and city economic regions.

3:28 PM

Saatvik Green Energy hails Budget 2026 for boosting India’s clean-energy manufacturing

Prashant Mathur, CEO, Saatvik Green Energy: Budget 2026 sends a strong and well-balanced signal for India’s clean-energy manufacturing ecosystem and marks a major step forward for India’s solar manufacturing story. By locking in long-term domestic demand through a record ₹12.21 lakh crore capital expenditure outlay and a nearly 29% increase for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the government has created much-needed visibility for large-scale investments across the solar value chain. The extension of customs duty exemptions for lithium-ion cell manufacturing to battery energy storage systems directly strengthens both energy transition and energy security, while the exemption on critical inputs such as sodium antimonate for solar glass will improve cost competitiveness and accelerate domestic capacity creation in a strategically vital segment.

3:26 PM

Ashika Global’s Amit Jain sees Budget 2026 as a strategic move to boost domestic growth

Amit Jain, cofounder of Ashika Global Family Office Services: Budget 2026 signals a smart shift from reaction to strategy. By rationalising personal import duties and sharpening trade positioning, India is showing it won’t fight tariff wars emotionally, but competitively. The message is clear: protect domestic growth while staying open enough to win global supply chains. 

3:20 PM

Budget 2026 aims to strengthen India’s leadership in biopharma sector: FM Sitharaman

3:17 PM

Budget 2026 focused on allocating funds for health facilities: FM Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at post-budget media briefing, said, Union Budget focused on allocating funds for health facilities ensuring 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'. 

3:15 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: FM Sitharaman expects rare earth corridors to replicate success of defence corridors

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed confidence that India’s newly planned rare earth corridors will achieve similar success as the country’s established defence corridors, highlighting their potential to drive strategic growth and industrial development.

 

 

 

3:14 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: 315Work Avenue’s Manas Mehrotra welcomes Budget 2026-27

Manas Mehrotra, Founder, 315Work Avenue: The Union Budget 2026 places a strong emphasis on infrastructure-led growth and the development of Tier II and Tier III cities as new economic growth hubs, which is a significant positive for the commercial real estate and coworking sectors. The enhanced capital expenditure of ₹12.2 lakh crore and the focus on City Economic Regions will strengthen urban connectivity and business infrastructure, encouraging enterprises to expand beyond traditional metros. As companies look to establish offices in these emerging markets, demand for flexible and coworking offices is expected to rise. The government’s push to create champion MSMEs through dedicated growth funds and liquidity support will lead to a larger base of scaling enterprises that require compliant, cost-efficient, and professionally managed workspaces.

3:12 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: FM Sitharaman denies ignoring poll-bound states in the Union Budget

3:10 PM

Budget LIVE 2026: Panasonic India welcomes Union Budget push for infrastructure

Tadashi Chiba, MD & CEO, Panasonic India, said, “The Government’s consistent focus on infrastructure continues to be central to India’s growth agenda. The Union Budget 2026–27, with capital expenditure increased to ₹12.2 lakh crore, reaffirms infrastructure as the backbone of India’s economic expansion. This sustained push will directly support the scaling of Panasonic’s advanced B2B solutions and offerings, which are integral to large-scale infrastructure development.

 

The continued focus on strengthening India’s manufacturing ecosystem through ECMS and the exemption of basic customs duty on select electrical appliances, including microwaves, is a timely measure that will improve cost efficiencies, encourage domestic value creation, and boost market adoption.

3:07 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Decriminalisation of ‘penalty proceedings’ a key highlight, says FM

3:05 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Budget to maintain growth momentum, says FM Sitharaman

2:57 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Proposed rare earth corridor is a 'game-changer', says FM Sitharaman

2:56 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Big boost to bio-pharma sector in Union Budget, says FM Sitharaman

2:53 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Mental health given priority in the Union Budget, says FM Sitharaman

2:50 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: FM Sitharaman addresses press conference post Budget presentation

2:41 PM

True Balance hails Budget 2026 push for AI-ready workforce

Gaurav Sharma, Chief Human Resources Officer, True Balance: The Union Budget 2026 reflects a strong commitment to shaping India’s future workforce in an AI-driven economy. The announcement of a high-powered education-to-employment and enterprise standing committee to assess the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and evolving skill requirements is a timely and progressive step aligned with industry realities. By prioritising skill development pathways, digital literacy, and industry-aligned training, the Budget creates a clear roadmap for meaningful employment generation and future-ready talent. As an HR leader, I welcome these initiatives, which will empower both youth and professionals to continuously upskill, adapt, and thrive in a rapidly transforming job market

2:39 PM

Energy Bots’ sees Budget 2026 boosting India’s tech and semiconductor capabilities

Mr Murali Mantravadi, Joint Managing Director, Energy Bots - Flosenso: 'Reading the Union Budget 2026, what becomes clear is a steady shift in how technology is being viewed. The push through India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and higher investment in electronic components suggests the government wants India to build deeper capability, not just scale services. That is an important signal. Sustainable advantage comes from owning design, supply chains and execution, not only distribution. The continued emphasis on AI, industry-linked research and creative skills points to an understanding that technology outcomes depend as much on people and process as on policy. The real test now is execution, but the intent feels more structural than symbolic.'

2:36 PM

DTDC CFO welcomes Budget 2026 focus on logistics as a strategic growth enabler

Aneel Gambhir, CFO, DTDC Express: Budget 2026 recognises logistics not just as a support function but as a strategic growth enabler. Investments in high-speed rail corridors, inland waterways, data centres, and ease-of-doing-business reforms will structurally lower logistics costs, improve reliability, and accelerate the shift toward multimodal, technology-led logistics services. This creates a strong runway for organised logistics players to scale efficiently while supporting MSMEs and manufacturing-led growth.

2:34 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Sterling Developers welcomes push for infrastructure-led growth

Ramani Sastri, chairman & MD, Sterling Developers: The Union Budget for 2026–27 reinforces confidence in India’s real estate and infrastructure sectors through a strong push for infrastructure-led growth and a clear focus on Tier-I and Tier-II cities. The proposed ₹12.2 trillion capital expenditure underscores the government’s commitment to long-term development and improved urban connectivity, both of which remain critical drivers of housing demand. The introduction of the Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund is a significant step that can ease financing challenges, strengthen lender confidence, and encourage greater private-sector participation in large-scale real estate and infrastructure projects. Equally important is the emphasis on asset monetisation and urban expansion beyond metros, which can unlock fresh investment opportunities and support more balanced regional growth. That said, we were expecting further measures to improve housing affordability, including expanded definitions for affordable housing, targeted incentives for first-time homebuyers, rationalisation of GST on under-construction homes, among others. Overall, the Budget sets a direction for real estate-led growth, and with effective implementation, it can strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic expansion and support India’s broader vision of Viksit Bharat.

2:31 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Centricity WealthTech welcomes disciplined fiscal approach

Vinayak Magotra, product head, Centricity WealthTech: The Union Budget for 2026-27 has taken a disciplined and measured approach, largely in line with our expectations. Considering the announcements already made in the previous Budget with respect to personal taxation, no major changes were anticipated in this area. As expected, the focus remained on administrative and compliance-related easements rather than substantive tax rate adjustments. The fiscal deficit is showing steady and credible improvement, easing to 4.4 per cent of GDP in RE 2025-26 and expected to decline further to 4.3 per cent in 2026–27. The progress is gradual, but meaningful, especially as growth-supporting spending is maintained.

2:28 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: SolarSquare hails focus on 'residential solar' under PM Surya Ghar scheme

Shreya Mishra, CEO, SolarSquare: Residential solar remains the biggest focus in India’s renewable energy push, with nearly 70% of the MNRE budget and ₹22,000 crore under the PM Surya Ghar scheme now dedicated to the residential solar segment. As India’s energy needs grow, decentralised power will be critical, especially when transmission and distribution infrastructure cannot scale at the same pace. Residential solar is not just an energy solution; it is central to India’s energy security and independence.

2:26 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Avaada Group welcomes long-term growth focus

Vineet Mittal, chairman, Avaada Group: Budget 2026-27 strikes a balance between ambition, growth and discipline. With sustained public capex of ₹12.2 trillion, a clear fiscal consolidation path,  and reforms like the Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund, it focuses on building long-term productive capacity rather than short-term stimulus. The emphasis on infrastructure, MSME scaling, transport, digital and logistics readiness sends a strong signal that India is investing for durable growth, competitiveness, and investor confidence.

2:24 PM

Budget 2026 LIVE: Protiviti Member Firm welcomes tax incentives, digital infra boost

Sachin Tayal, managing director, Protiviti Member Firm for India: The 2026 Budget clearly signals an intent to drive India's growth towards a more sustainable and future-ready economy. An important provision has been made for data centres and Cloud service providers operating in India, which offers a long-term tax holiday. This strengthens India's goal of becoming a global centre for Cloud, AI, and data-led services and makes digital infrastructure a national priority. It is a significant step towards expanding the digital economy, drawing in international investment, and producing skilled jobs.