Page 8 - Union Budget

Budget 2026: Sitharaman lays 16th Finance Commission report in Lok Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday laid the 16th Finance Commission report for tax revenue devolution between Centre and states for 2026-2031 in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Commission, which has been set up under the Constitution, provides a formula for devolution of taxes between Centre and states. Cesses and surcharge levied by the Centre are not part of the divisible pool. The Finance Commission is a constitutional body that gives suggestions on Centre-state financial relations and is set up periodically. The 16th Finance Commission, headed by former Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog Arvind Panagariya, was set up on December 31, 2023. Led by Panagariya, Finance Commission members -- Retired bureaucrat Annie George Mathew, economist Manoj Panda, SBI Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh, and RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar -- and Secretary to the Commission Ritvik Pandey submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on November 17, 2025.

Longest serving FM, Sitharaman set to present 9th consecutive Budget

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday makes history as she presents a record ninth consecutive Budget that is expected to unveil measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline, and contain reforms that could buffer the economy from global trade frictions, including US tariffs. This will take Sitharaman closer to the record of 10 budgets that were presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai over different time periods. Desai presented six budgets during his tenure as finance minister from 1959 to 1964, and four budgets between 1967 and 1969. Former finance ministers P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee had presented nine and eight budgets, respectively, under different prime ministers. Sitharaman, however, will continue to hold the record of presenting the maximum number of budgets on the trot -- nine straight budgets under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was in 2019 appointed as India's first full-time woman finance minister when Prime Minister Narendr

What can you expect from the Defence Budget 2026?

Defence Budget 2026 is expected to see a double-digit rise, with capital expenditure and modernisation in sharp focus. This video breaks down what brokerages expect, how defence spending has evolved,

FM Sitharaman meets President for customary pre-Budget presentation meeting

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting her record ninth Budget in the Lok Sabha. As per established tradition, the finance minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before heading to Parliament. Before going to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sitharaman posed with her Budget team in front of her office at Kartavya Bhavan. Wearing a magenta silk saree, she was holding a tablet in a red pouch with the national emblem, along with the Minister of State and all six Secretaries in her ministry. Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Sitharaman, along with Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget. Following the meeting, she headed for a Cabinet meeting that will formally approve the Budget for 2026-27. Sitharaman continues with the tradition she set in 2019, carrying the budget spee

Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Watch full Budget speech of FM Nirmala Sitharaman

The Union Budget 2026 speech of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha. This marks the first time the annual Union Budget has been tabled on a Sunday.

Markets end lower ahead of Union Budget amid metal stock sell-off

Benchmark indices fell on Friday as metal stocks slumped sharply, while investors stayed cautious ahead of the Union Budget and amid sustained foreign fund outflows

FM to interact with 30 college students on Feb 1 post Budget presentation

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will interact with around 30 college students from different regions of the country after the presentation of the Union Budget 2026-27 on Sunday. Sitharaman is going to present her record ninth Budget including two interim budgets on February 1. As part of this initiative, the college students will also get to witness the live presentation of the Union Budget from the Lok Sabha Gallery, offering them a chance to view one of the most significant Parliamentary proceedings of the year, the finance ministry said in a statement. The students come from a variety of academic disciplines, including commerce, economics, medical education, and vocational courses from various States across India, it said. The students will also visit the Ministry of Finance housed at Kartavya Bhawan-1 and interact with various senior officials to gain an understanding of the functioning of the Ministry, policy formulation processes, and the role of institutions in ...

Budget 2026 watchlist: Key stocks analysts are tracking before February 1

With Union Budget 2026 just days away, investors are scanning for sectors and stocks that could benefit from policy signals on capex, defence, agriculture, and consumption.

Economic Survey 2025–26 decoded | AK Bhattacharya

What does the Economic Survey 2025–26 really say about India’s economy?

Economic Survey primer: Notes on AI and geopolitics, the poetic touch

Economic Survey 2025-26 blends AI, geopolitics, and philosophy, spotlighting national priorities while framing India's growth journey as a marathon that must be run at sprint speed

The cost of delaying divestment: Why Budget must act to create fiscal space

Budget must prioritise divestment to create fiscal space to tackle unexpected shocks and support critical sectors including health and education

Budget 2026: Too many known unknowns amid push to revive private capex

Amid data and fiscal uncertainties, the govt faces the difficult task of creating conditions to boost private capex

In a fragile world: Economic Survey 2026 will enable informed debates

Economic Survey 2025-26 flags stronger growth but warns that global uncertainty, fiscal discipline, and lower import protection are key to sustaining momentum

Budget Session 2026: 'Reform, perform, transform' guides govt, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that his government has been focusing on “reform, perform, transform” as India enters a crucial phase of its development journey.

Budget 2026: What small investors should really track — beyond the speech | Budget expectations

As India heads into Union Budget 2026, markets are bracing for continuity, not shock value. For small investors, this Budget isn’t about a one-day rally; it’s about signals that shape returns

Union Budget 2026 to be presented on Feb 1: When and where to watch Live

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

Union Budget 2026-27: The next phase of India's technology growth

Focused execution and policy coherence can help position India as a tech powerhouse

Budget 2026-27: Recalibrating the tax framework for sovereign wealth funds

India's masterstroke was the red carpet rollout for sovereign wealth funds in 2020 with an exemption for income from investments in specified Infrastructure

Budget 2026-27: Experts seek reforms to ease I-T litigation backlog

Experts suggest direct ITAT access and stronger dispute resolution mechanisms to tackle 5.4 lakh pending tax appeals and ease litigation backlog

This Budget will see many firsts, but future Budgets need a different mould

Budget 2026-27 breaks new ground, but delayed GDP rebasing and continued fiscal secrecy risk undermining its numbers within weeks