Page 5 - Economic Survey

Eco Survey suggests AI Economic Council for India: What it is, key details

The Survey stressed that India's artificial intelligence rules must suit national needs, especially the country's large workforce

Economic Survey 2025-26 flags the need for India's own AI solutions

It said that India is among the top contributors to global AI research, has a large pool of technical talent, and has one of the most AI-aware workforces in the world

Foreign investors pull ₹16,500 cr from equities; FPI share hits 13-yr low

As foreign investors pulled back, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) stepped forward. Mutual funds and insurance companies remained consistent net buyers, cushioning the impact of FPI selling.

Stock Market Close: Sensex up 222 pts; Nifty gains for 3rd day, ends at 25,419 on GDP growth cheer

Sensex Today | Stock Market Highlights: Among the broader baskets, the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices ended higher by 0.18 per cent and 0.20 per cent, respectively

Eco Survey asks online firms to verify age, push for simpler kids' devices

Online platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and simpler devices should be promoted for children to access educational content with safeguards to address rising problem digital addiction, Economic Survey 2025-26 said on Thursday. The Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled in Parliament has identified digital addiction as a rising problem impacting mental health of youth and adults. It noted measures by various countries, including Australia, China, and South Korea, and called for several interventions, besides ongoing efforts of various government departments. "Policies on age-based access limits may be considered, as younger users are more vulnerable to compulsive use and harmful content. Platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising," the Survey said. The Survey has called for educating families and encouraged them to

Eco Survey flags need for multi-pronged push to sustain FDI inflows

The Economic Survey on Thursday called for a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen the country's investment climate by addressing both structural and cyclical factors, noting that the key challenge going forward is sustaining FDI inflows amid heightened global volatility. It said that the window for action is still open, but it will not remain so indefinitely. There is a need to move decisively to transform the FDI challenge into the next chapter of the economic growth story, it said. Despite a clear government intent and proven economic management, FDI inflows remain below their potential, especially for infrastructure needs. "Proactive reforms are essential to attract more foreign investment," it said adding this approach involves developing a targeted strategy that identifies a specific set of GVC (global value chain) anchors and establishes a state apparatus that collaborates directly with them as partners. The direct engagement will help resolve cross-agency issues and provide

Economic Survey outlines roadmap to reduce structural uncertainty in PPPs

India's public-private partnership (PPP) framework needs to move from transaction-centric execution toward system-level market building, with a sharper focus on reducing structural uncertainty, the Economic Survey 2025-26 suggested on Thursday. The pre-Budget document tabled in Parliament further said that this requires clearer sectoral pipelines with multi-year visibility, a tighter linkage between national programmes and bankable project preparation, as well as disciplined pre-construction risk closure by the public authority. The Survey noted that PPP outcomes have been weakest where land acquisition, statutory clearances, demand assessment, or utility shifting have remained unresolved. In the coming decade, it said a credible PPP regime will be defined less by risk transfer on paper and more by the State's capacity to absorb early-stage risks that private capital cannot efficiently price. "Accordingly, India's PPP framework needs to move from transaction-centric execution towar

Ban advertising of ultra-processed foods from 6 am-11 pm: Eco Survey

Raising concerns on the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods containing high fat, salt and sugar amid India becoming one of the fastest growing markets for such items in the world, the Economic Survey has pitched for a ban on their advertisements from morning to late night. The pre-Budget document tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday also suggested restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages, while flagging growing obesity among children. "More troubling still, the prevalence of excess weight among children under five has risen from 2.1 per cent in 2015-16 to 3.4 per cent in 2019-21," it said. According to estimates, over 3.3 crore children in India were obese in 2020, and it is projected to reach 8.3 crore children by 2035. The 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reports that 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men are overweight or obese," it added. Among women aged 15-49 years, 6.4 per cent are obese, and among men, 4

Labour codes to boost jobs, corporate investment needed: Eco Survey

Effective implementation of Labour Codes will play a key role in boosting formal employment and enhancing security for women and gig workers, the Economic Survey for 2025-26 stated, while outlining the need for investment and coordination from private sector companies. The document, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, noted that four codes were notified (on November 21, 2025), and rules are expected to be in place in the next few months. The Survey suggested that as definitions of work continue to evolve, dynamic labour policy and flexible regulatory frameworks would ensure employment expansion, worker security and well-being. "Implementing the Codes marks the first step towards the labour market transformation. The transition will require coordination and investment from the private sector," it pointed out. The pre-Budget document suggested that the companies must enhance their systems, update policies, reevaluate workforce models, and improve

Pharma sector a model for India Inc amid global tariff flux: Eco Survey

India Inc can draw inspiration from the domestic pharma industry, which transformed itself in the aftermath of the TRIPS Agreement in 1995, to deal with an unpredictable global tariff regime, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. The pharmaceutical sector, which had expanded under the process-patent regime of the 1970 Patent Act, faced a sudden change in its operating environment when the TRIPS-compliant product-patent regime took effect in 1995. This shift challenged the very foundation of India's competitive advantage, reverse engineering, and cost-efficient process innovation. However, the manner in which the sector responded offers a compelling template for industries currently confronting rising external trade barriers, especially tariff escalations in major markets, the Economic Survey stated. The new regime enabled Indian firms to legally replicate patented drugs by developing alternative production pathways, thereby creating one of the most affordable pharmaceutical ...

Eco Survey advises targeted congestion pricing in dense business districts

Targeted congestion pricing in dense business districts, combined with demand-based parking management, can reduce traffic, speed, and emissions as seen internationally, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. The survey highlighted the steps taken by Singapore and London authorities to tackle congestion. The Economic Survey noted that there are several varying estimates of the loss in productivity across cities, resulting from traffic congestion. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on Delhi's congestion troubles stated that an unskilled worker stands to lose between Rs 7,200 and Rs 19,600 per year due to congestion, it said. Similarly, skilled and highly skilled workers can lose as much as Rs 8,300-23,800 and Rs 9,000-25,900 a year, respectively. A working paper by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) estimated the loss of productive hours due to the late arrivals caused by traffic congestion to be around 7.07 lakh hours in 2018 for Bengaluru city,

The Economic Survey's global outlook: A world that has structurally changed

Economic Survey 2026 says India is better placed than many economies due to strong macro fundamentals, but warns these buffers will not fully insulate it from global volatility

MGNREGA overhauled as overall architecture had reached limits: Eco Survey

Reassessment needed in light of evolving rural realities; MGNREGS structural weakness limited its effectiveness, says Survey

India's obesity crisis is now an economic threat, warns Economic Survey

Economic Survey 2025-26 flags rising obesity and ultra-processed food intake as risks to productivity, healthcare spending and public finances, calling for policy action beyond consumer awareness

India's obesity crisis is now an economic threat, warns Economic Survey

Economic Survey 2025-26 flags rising obesity and ultra-processed food intake as risks to productivity, healthcare spending and public finances, calling for policy action beyond consumer awareness

Eco Survey highlights: Domestic demand in focus amid global uncertainties

India's economy is expected to grow 6.8-7.2% in 2026-27; exports, domestic demand and reforms support growth, while global trade tensions pose some risks

Capital flow disruption, INR impact key risks for India in 2026: Eco Survey

The Economic Survey 2025-26 highlighted three possible scenarios emerging in the year ahead that can have an impact on how the global economies shape up going ahead

Trade talks with US expected to conclude during the year: Economic Survey

Ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement with the US are expected to conclude during the year, a development that could help reduce uncertainty on the external front, according to Economic Survey 2025-26. For India, it said, the global conditions translate into external uncertainties rather than immediate macroeconomic stress. Slower growth in key trading partners, tariff-induced disruptions to trade and volatility in capital flows could intermittently weigh on exports and investor sentiment, the Survey said. "At the same time, ongoing trade negotiations with the United States are expected to conclude during the year, which could help reduce uncertainty on the external front," it said. India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement since March last year. So far, six rounds of negotiations have been held. Talks are going slow as the Trump-administration has imposed a steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods from August last year. A delegation from the office of the

Economic Survey 2025-26: India's growth outlook strong, focus on resilience

CEA V Anantha Nageswaran said that inflation is largely contained, rainfall and agricultural prospects are supportive, external liabilities remain low, and banks are in good health

India on a strong plank to show sustained growth in uncertain times

On the whole, the Survey paints a positive picture for the economy as well as outlook, though cautions more on the external environment