Page 9 - Budget 2026

Budget 2026: Confident yet anxious amid global and domestic uncertainty

The Budget has indeed woken up the sleeping markets, just not the way the government's fans would have expected

Budget 2026: Skilling, education and job creation at centre of growth plan

With a sharp rise in skilling and labour allocations, Budget 2026-27 focuses on aligning education with industry needs, boosting services-led employment, and preparing youth for emerging roles in the

Budget 2026: Oppn slams Budget for 'failing' the test of economic strategy

Opposition parties, including ruling dispensations in poll-bound West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, said the Budget fails on economic strategy, worsens fiscal stress on states, and undermines federalism

Union Budget 2026-27: Over ₹1 trillion earmarked for the nation's health

Biopharma Shakti initiative to tackle burden of non-communicable diseases, turn India into global, innovation-led hub

Budget 2026: Services sector put in the front seat of growth strategy

Budget targets 10% global services share by 2047

16th FC moots CSS overhaul, discom privatisation, subsidy bill pruning

To create incentives for privatisation, the panel said private investors need to be shielded from the accumulated debt burden after discom takeover

Political Pulse: What the Budget 2026 means for four poll-bound states

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stressed youth-led growth, SME capacity building and region-specific measures, seeking to address trade challenges while signalling outreach to poll-bound states

Pharma leap: Volume to value-based growth as India targets $500-bn industry

The Budget recognises that innovation must translate into tangible benefits for patients

A Budget for uncertain times: Modest fiscal path, services-led growth

FM goes for modest fiscal consolidation, while focusing on services and state capex for growth

16th FC report: From Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal, who gets how much

Southern states are projected to get a marginal increase

Rising stress, weak redress: Here are the key challenges in Budget 2026

Unemployment in the age group 15-24 year remains extremely high and structurally sticky even after the pandemic shock

Budget 2026 reflects a maturing economy with focus on long-term growth

Budget 2026 prioritises fiscal prudence and structural reforms, betting on manufacturing, technology and exports to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047

Budget 2026-27: Inside the fiscal consolidation numbers and open questions

The Budget has largely eschewed political populism, even as several states are to go for Assembly elections in the coming months

Union Budget 2026-27: Consumers cautiously expect a brighter future

Private consumption grows 7% in FY26, but its GDP share stays flat as household finances remain strained despite rising consumer confidence

16th Finance Commission retains 41% devolution, introduces GDP criterion

the 16th Finance Commission kept tax devolution at 41%, added GDP contribution as a new criterion, dropped revenue deficit grants, and pushed states towards stronger fiscal discipline

Budget 2026 raises FY27 capex 11.5% to ₹12 trillion, eyes infra growth

Union Budget 2026-27 raises capital expenditure to ₹12.2 trn, reinforcing the govt's infrastructure-led growth strategy, even as spending in the current fiscal is expected to fall short of estimates

Budget 2026: Tax holiday for foreign Cloud cos using data centres in India

Budget 2026 proposes tax holiday till 2047 for foreign cloud firms using Indian data centres, aiming to position India as a global AI and hyperscale data hub

Union Budget 2026-27: Reform over rhetoric, growth with guardrails

From medical hubs to incentives for seaplane manufacturing, the Budget broadens demand creation beyond brick-and-mortar

Budget 2026: Industrial policy takes centre stage, deeper fixes pending

And bigger problems await from policy bottlenecks that the Budget has left untouched

Union Budget 2026-27: Divestment, monetisation goal at ₹80,000 crore

Budget 2026 raises the FY27 disinvestment and asset monetisation target to Rs 80,000 crore, banking on a stronger pipeline of stake sales and infrastructure monetisation despite a shortfall in FY26