Page 28 - Budget 2026

Assocham seeks incentives for hydrogen-based steelmaking in FY27 Budget

Ahead of the Budget, Industry body Assocham has urged the government to provide incentives for hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI) and concessional green finance to help the steel sector transition to low-carbon production. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to table the Union Budget for the Financial Year 2026-27 in Parliament on February 1, 2025. In its pre-Budget recommendations for the domestic steel sector, the chamber also suggested incentives for waste-heat recovery systems and the establishment of renewable captive power plants to curb emissions. The industry body noted that decarbonisation presents both a challenge and a competitive opportunity, asserting that these measures can accelerate sustainable production. Assocham further pitched for incentivising scrap collection and recycling, noting that strengthening domestic recycling infrastructure through skilling is essential to reduce the country's dependence on imports. Highlighting the challenges, Asso

FY27 Budget presentation likely on Feb 1, Economic Survey on Jan 29

February 1 is also coinciding with Guru Ravidas birth anniversary, which is a government holiday in some states in remembrance of the 15th-century saint and social reformer

Fiscal deficit target in reach despite lower nominal GDP growth estimate

The Budget estimates for this year had assumed a nominal GDP growth of 10.1 per cent

Budget 2026 must aim to fix the weak link in India's R&D ecosystem

Restoring weighted tax deductions and adopting a petty patents regime can foster firm-level innovative activity critical for competitiveness

India's 7.4% GDP growth looks solid but faces a narrower margin for error

In absolute terms at current prices, the economy is projected to attain the size of ₹357.14 trillion, which is marginally higher than the level assumed in the 2025-26 Budget

BEL, HAL, GRSE among 5 defence stocks to buy ahead of Budget 2026: Analysts

Defence related stocks have rallied up to 5% this year. Sachin Gupta of Choice Broking believes that there is pre-Budget optimism, and projects up to 12% upside in 5 shares based on technical charts.

Budget 2026: Rice exporters seek tax relief, credit and freight support

The Indian Rice Exporter's Federation has urged the Centre to provide a 4% interest subvention on export credit, 3% road and rail freight support, and ensure timely disbursal of duty remission schemes

AIF industry seeks tax parity for private credit funds in Budget

India's AIF industry urges tax parity for private credit funds and clearer rules for Category III AIFs in the upcoming Union Budget to ensure fair treatment and reduce disputes

Govt may relax transfer-pricing regime, make eligibility rules flexible

Move aimed at making safe-harbour rules more attractive and practical

Anticipate govt to go for 10% capex growth in upcoming Budget: L&T CFO

Larsen and Toubro's Chief Financial Officer R Shankar Raman is anticipating a ten per cent increase in capital expenditure outgo in the upcoming budget for FY27. Amid concerns about sagging private capital expenditure growth, Raman said that he does not fear a "crowding out" of resources because of the high spending by the state. The ample liquidity in the system will support such investments. "If India is to become a developed economy by 2047, infrastructure has a lot of role to play, and I think the government is seized of this. I am hopeful that they will allocate adequate resources in the budget to be able to do that," Raman told PTI recently. Pointing to the over Rs 11 lakh crore commitment for capital expenditure in the FY26 budget, Raman said the new document to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a few weeks will continue on the same lines. "They will possibly go for a 10 per cent increase...that is what I am anticipating, but that's at a personal level,"

What is the Union Budget — and why should you care?

What is the Union Budget and why does it matter to you? In this short explainer, we break down how the Budget works and how it impacts taxes, spending, growth, and everyday life minus the jargon.

Pre-Budget meeting: Reforms to stay on top of agenda, signals PM Modi

Ahead of the Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told economists that policymaking must stay aligned with India's 2047 vision, calling for mission-mode reforms and long-term growth focus

Amnesty scheme on anvil to ease Customs cases backlog, clear disputes

Gold, wilful default, narcotics and smuggling cases to be kept out

What will change across banking, salaries, farming and daily life from January 1, 2026?

As 2026 begins, a wide set of rule changes quietly come into force. From banking and digital payments to salaries, farming schemes, fuel prices and social media

Centre may set 54.5-55% debt-to-GDP goal for FY27 in Union Budget

While future Budgets will continue to specify annual fiscal deficit numbers, these will now be derived from the debt target rather than serving as the primary target

Union Budget 2026: Tracking what Budget 2025 promised and delivered

With the Union Budget 2026 around the corner, here is a status check on Budget 2025 promises, from tax reforms and insurance FDI to manufacturing, gig workers and innovation funding

Budget 2026 should widen tax base, boost investment incentives: Report

The Union Budget 2026 needs to focus on widening the direct tax base, incentivising private sector investment and freezing peak direct tax rates to further accelerate growth and generate employment opportunities, a report said. Recent reforms under GST 2.0 have demonstrated that simplification and tax moderation can coexist with strong revenue growth, challenging the long-held belief that higher tax rates are necessary to boost collections, a report titled 'Shaping India's New Taxation Ideology: Simplification, Moderation and Growth' said. "As India approaches the Union Budget, the choices made will determine whether taxation becomes a catalyst for long-term economic expansion or a constraint on ambition," the report released by a think tank Think Change Forum (TCF) on Wednesday said. The report outlines a six-point advisory for policymakers, urging them to extend the principles of GST reform to direct taxes, enforcement and investment policy At the core of the advisory is a push f

Three Bills and a Budget: How the winter session impacts future budgets

Three laws passed in Parliament could boost central revenues, reshape GST cess flows, shift MGNREGA costs to states and create new budget headroom ahead of the 2026-27 Union Budget