In this episode of Budget Basics, we break down one of the most important, but least understood, budget terms: Primary Deficit. What does it really say about a government’s finances?
How much of India’s Budgeted capital expenditure is actually spent? In this video, we break down capex promises vs actual spending with a clear chart-based explanation.
The upcoming Budget is going to put emphasis on easing the debt-to-GDP ratio, which is around 56 per cent, instead of targetting a specific fiscal deficit number as the country has almost reached the end of the glide path envisaged in the FRBM legislation. A fiscal deficit of 3-4 per cent is considered comfortable and a desirable target for a growing, developing economy like India, aiming to balance economic expansion with financial stability. Under the revised Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, the fiscal deficit target was below 4.5 per cent of GDP for 2025-26. Therefore, the union government announced a new glide path with the debt-to-GDP ratio as the fiscal anchor. So, the roadmap for the next six years was announced in the FRBM statement released on February 1, 2025. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech in July 2024, had said, "The fiscal consolidation path announced by me in 2021 has served our economy very well, and we aim to reach
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has tabled the Economic Survey 2025–26 in Parliament, offering a snapshot of India’s economic health ahead of the Union Budget.
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
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
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
In addition, a statement reviewing the working of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi, for the year 2024-25 will be presented before the House
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament on February 1. Here's the time, venue and how to watch the Budget speech live
Budget 2026-27 breaks new ground, but delayed GDP rebasing and continued fiscal secrecy risk undermining its numbers within weeks
As the Union Budget 2026 approaches, all eyes are on India’s defence budget and security spending. This video breaks down the Defence Budget using charts and data, explaining defence
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday participated in a traditional 'halwa' ceremony, marking the final stage for the preparation of the Union Budget 2026-27, to be unveiled on February 1 in the Lok Sabha. The ceremony took place at the North Block on Raisina Hill, the old address of the Finance Ministry, as the new premises at the Kartyava Bhawan-I do not have a printing press. The Finance Minister and most of her team were shifted from the iconic and majestic North Block to the modern central secretariat office housed in Kartavya Bhawan in September 2025. The ceremony is a customary ritual in which traditional dessert 'halwa' is prepared and served to officials and staff members of the finance ministry who are involved in the preparation of the budget. The 'Halwa ceremony' precedes the 'lock-in' of the officials involved in preparation of the Union Budget, an official statement said. Maintaining the tradition, it was organised in the basement of North Block, which was .
As Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present her ninth Budget, a new team of top bureaucrats and economists will shape India's FY27 fiscal and reform roadmap
Why does economic growth matter more than new taxes in Budget 2026? This video explains tax buoyancy and how tax revenue grows with GDP, using Budget data from FY19 to FY26. It breaks down key numbers
The Centre's higher gross borrowing won't be a challenge in FY27, but the increasing size of state development loans is a concern
Ahead of Union Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s spending choices are in focus. This video breaks down capital expenditure vs revenue expenditure using charts, showing how government
As FM Nirmala Sitharaman presents her ninth straight Budget, the finance ministry marks a new era-shifting the historic exercise from North Block to the modern Kartavya Bhawan
As Budget 2026 approaches, there’s a renewed debate over whether India should raise taxes on the super-rich to shore up government finances.
The Budget session will start on January 28 and continue until April 2 in two phases. The first phase ends on February 13, with Parliament reconvening on March 9
A report by Knight Frank India said supply-to-demand ratio for affordable housing across the top 8 cities plummeted to 0.36 in 2025 (until June), down from 1.05 in 2019