Page 3 - Finance Minister

FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets leading economists ahead of FY27 Budget

Ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday met leading economists to elicit their views on the forthcoming Budget. Those present at the meeting include Sajjid Chinoy, Neelkanth Misra, Dharmakirti Joshi, Ridham Desai, Sonal Varma and Indira Rajaraman. "Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt @nsitharaman chairs the first Pre-Budget Consultation with leading economists in connection with the upcoming Union Budget 2026-27, in New Delhi, today," the Ministry of Finance said in a social media post on X. "The meeting was also attended by Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) @FinMinIndia; and Chief Economic Adviser, Government of India, besides senior officers from the DEA," it added. Sitharaman is likely to present the Budget on February 1. She will present the Budget in the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties and the steep US tariff of 50 per cent imposed on shipments from India. The Budget for the next fiscal year will .

Sitharaman lays foundation for Assam's first tech, vocational university

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday laid the foundation stone for Assam's first university focussed on technical and vocational education and training. The 'Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University' is being built at a cost of Rs 415 crore at Bholaguri in Gohpur in Biswanath district. The university will come up in a total area of 241 acres, with a built-up area of 7 lakh sq ft. It will feature academic blocks for 2,000 students, hostels for 1,620 students, residential quarters, guest house and a student facility centre. The university will offer courses in various technology domains, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, blockchain, drone and navigation technology, quantum computing, brain computer interface, internet of things, and smart cities and smart environments. The Union minister has been on a two-day visit to the state since Friday.

Bank privatisation won't hurt financial inclusion or national interest: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday allayed apprehension that privatisation of state-owned banks would hurt financial inclusion and national interest. She said the bank nationalisation done in 1969 has not yielded the desired result as far as financial inclusion was concerned. Addressing the student at the Diamond Jubilee Valedictory Lecture at Delhi School of Economics (DSE), University of Delhi here, she said that nationalisation did help in pushing priority sector lending and government programmes but government control made public sector banks unprofessional. Despite 50 years of nationalisation, the objectives that were not entirely achieved, she said, adding, "after... we professionalised the banks, those objectives are still being beautifully achieved. "So, this perception that when you try to make them professional, and if you want to privatise them, which is a Cabinet decision, that objective of reaching to all people, taking banking to everybody will be lost...

India to soon become world's third-largest economy: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India has grown from the 10th to the 5th-largest economy since 2014 and is on track to become the third-largest in the world soon

FM Sitharaman starts Bhutan tour to strengthen bilateral economic ties

According to a press statement, the visit, scheduled from October 30 to November 2, 2025, underscores India's enduring partnership with Bhutan, built on mutual trust, respect, and shared goals

Economy accelerated in Q2FY26, momentum to sustain: Finance Ministry

The review also flagged the rise in long-term sovereign bond yields of major economies and said this could undermine the hedging role such bonds typically play in the financial markets

Increase agricultural credit to meet rural India's demands: FM to banks

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged rural banks to increase agricultural credit disbursement to meet the growing demand of new rural India, while reviewing the business performance of Karnataka Grameena Bank (KaGB) here. According to an official statement, Sitharaman chaired the meeting, attended by Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary M Nagaraju, NABARD Chairman Shaji K V, and other senior officials from the finance ministry on Thursday. During the review, Sitharaman assessed key indicators, including credit growth, NPAs (Non-Performing Assets), financial inclusion, and the implementation of government-sponsored schemes by KaGB. She advised the bank to increase its share in ground-level agriculture credit disbursement, with special focus on emerging areas of the economy. Sitharaman also directed all stakeholders to take steps to realise the potential of allied agricultural activities in the region. KaGB and Canara Bank should work closely with state ..

Nirmala Sitharaman reviews KaGB, focuses on FPO and MSME lending

Finance Minister reviews Karnataka Grameena Bank's performance in Ballari, calling for greater focus on rural lending, MSME support, and FPO financing for inclusive growth

FM Sitharaman urges farmers to utilise govt schemes for higher profits

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday urged farmers to make full use of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) to turn agriculture into a profitable venture. Speaking after inaugurating the Farmers' Training and Common Facility Centre in Koppal district, Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, said the new generation GST reforms will also benefit agrarian communities. The facility was set up using her MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund. PMFME was launched to support value addition in agricultural products. The Centre provides financial and technical assistance and helps businesses upgrade under the scheme, she said. Sitharaman added that the government aims to promote rural entrepreneurship to generate jobs in villages. "More than Rs 3,700 crore funds have been given by the Centre to states till now since 2020. Loans have been provided to farmers. Rs 11,000 cr

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Ayodhya on two-day visit

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Ayodhya on Wednesday for a two-day visit. Sitharaman was received at the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport by Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna and Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, according to an official statement. Traditional melodies filled the air as her convoy, under tight security, proceeded to Hotel Radisson, before she began her scheduled engagements. Sitharaman's visit marks a special cultural event at Brihaspati Kund in Tedhi Bazaar, where she, along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, will unveil the statues of three legendary South Indian musicians -- Tyagaraja Swamigal, Purandara Dasa and Arunachala Kavi -- the statement said. The statues installed in the Brihaspati Kund complex stand as timeless symbols of India's musical, devotional and artistic heritage, it added. These saint-musicians infused divine devotion into Indian classical music, making it the spiritual essence of the country's

Tech must not be weaponised to thwart global progress: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister asks fintechs to focus on trust, safety and financial inclusion

Sitharaman launches foreign currency settlement system at GIFT City

We should refrain from weaponising technology: FM Sitharaman at Global Fintech Fest 2025.

Emmanuel Macron ally Roland Lescure named France's new finance minister

An initial salvo of 18 ministers was announced on Sunday evening by Emmanuel Moulin, Secretary General of the Élysee Palace

Sitharaman launches campaign to return ₹1.84 trn unclaimed financial assets

Most of the locked-up funds are in the form of deposits, insurance, provident fund, and shares, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, calling on officials to ensure they reach the rightful owners

Private sector sees scope in India as govt maintains capex push: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said India's capacity to absorb external shocks is strong at a time when the world economy is undergoing a structural transformation. She said the task before nations is not only to manage uncertainty but to confront trade, financial and energy imbalances. "Geopolitical conflicts are intensifying. Sanctions, tariffs, and decoupling strategies are reshaping global supply chains... For India, these dynamics highlight both vulnerability and resilience. Our capacity to absorb shocks is strong, while our economic leverage is evolving. "Our choices will determine whether resilience becomes a foundation for leadership or merely a buffer against uncertainty," Sitharaman said at Kautilya Economic Conclave 2025 here. Addressing the session on 'Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times', Sitharaman said wars and strategic rivalries are redrawing the boundaries of cooperation and conflict. "Alliances that once appeared solid are being tested, and new .

FM proposes 'Pension Sakhis' to drive NPS growth, launches new scheme

FM Nirmala Sitharaman proposed training women as Pension Sakhis to boost NPS enrolments and launched the Multiple Scheme Framework giving subscribers greater flexibility

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to inaugurate Kautilya Economic Conclave on Oct 3

The fourth Kautilya Economic Conclave will open Oct 3 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurating the three-day event on prosperity in turbulent global times

India's resilience stands out amid global uncertainties: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said India's resilience stands out due to its strong macroeconomic fundamentals amid increasing global uncertainties. Speaking at the 91st Foundation Day function of the Bank of Maharashtra, the Union Finance Minister said the uncertainty in the global environment has increased over the past year, and its impact is being felt across countries. "But amidst all these uncertain global situations, India's resilience stands out and several favourable factors, such as strong macroeconomic fundamentals, a young demography, and greater reliance on domestic demand, provide the core strength to the Indian economy," she noted. Sitharaman said the economic resilience has continued, particularly in the April-June quarter this year, as well, where India's GDP has grown by 7.8 per cent. "This...is not accidental at all," she said, adding that it reflects proactive fiscal and monetary policies, bold structural reforms, massive infrastructure creation

'GST reform not mere tax change but revolution', says FM Sitharaman

Addressing the gathering, Minister Sitharaman paid tribute to women workers who form the backbone of the matchbox industry

Large ships get infrastructure status in boost to maritime industry

Move seen to ease financing woes of India's nascent shipbuilding industry