Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget on Sunday, February 1, said the fiscal deficit for FY27 is projected at 4.3% of GDP, slightly lower than the 4.4% estimated for FY26. She also announced a sharp push in government spending, proposing to raise public capital expenditure to ₹12.2 lakh crore in FY27.
Union Budget 2026 Live: PM Modi Describes FY27 Budget as ‘Historic’
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Addressing the Union Budget 2026–27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the budget is “historic,” highlighting India’s commitment to nari shakti (women’s empowerment). He also praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, noting that she has created history by becoming the first woman to present the Union Budget nine times consecutively.
February 1, 2026 | 2:06 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live: Parliament Proceedings Adjourned; Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to Resume at 11 AM on Feb 2
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Speaking on the Union Budget 2026–27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that 140 crore Indians are not content with being the world’s fastest-growing economy, stressing the need for bigger ambitions. “We want to become the world’s third-largest economy as soon as possible,” the Prime Minister said.
February 1, 2026 | 2:11 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live: Budget Provides a Strong Foundation for India’s Leap Towards a Developed Nation, Says PM Modi
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Addressing the Union Budget 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the budget provides “a strong foundation for India’s high flight towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.” He added that the “reform express” driving India’s growth will gain fresh energy and momentum from the new budget.
February 1, 2026 | 2:09 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: PM Modi Hails FY27 Budget as ‘Historic’ After Key Announcements
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Speaking on the Union Budget 2026–27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the budget as “historic,” saying it reflects India’s strong commitment to nari shakti (women’s empowerment). He also lauded Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for creating history by presenting the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time, a first for any woman finance minister.
February 1, 2026 | 2:06 PM
Budget 2026 Live: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha Adjourned Till 11 AM on Feb 2
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 11 AM on Monday, February 2.
February 1, 2026 | 1:57 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: FINER Calls FY27 Budget ‘Balanced and Non-Populist’
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: The Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) on Sunday described the Union Budget 2026–27 as balanced and fiscally disciplined, stressing that it is not a populist budget. The industry body said the Budget was framed with global challenges in mind, including geo-political tensions, the Russia–Ukraine war, US tariff hikes, and other economic headwinds.
Echoing this view, FINER president Bajrang Lohia said, “This is not a populist budget. I think it is a balanced and fiscal-disciplined one.”
February 1, 2026 | 1:47 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Nirmala Sitharaman Unveils Multiple Steps to Establish New Educational Institutes
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed multiple measures to strengthen higher education infrastructure, including the establishment of new institutes across the country.
Key announcements include:
- Five university townships to be developed
- One girls’ hostel in every district to improve access to higher education for women
- Expansion of telescope infrastructure facilities to boost investment in the higher education sector
February 1, 2026 | 1:38 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Budget Measures Aimed at Enhancing Farmers’ Income
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: To enhance farmers’ income, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, announced a series of measures aimed at boosting agriculture, allied sectors, and value addition.
Key announcements include:
- Promotion of entrepreneurship in the livestock sector to create employment opportunities
- Launch of the Coconut Promotion Scheme to boost production and support three crore people, including one crore farmers
- Plans to develop Indian cocoa and Indian cashew as premium global brands by 2030
- Introduction of Bharat Vistar, a multilingual AI tool to support farmers and agricultural stakeholders
- Government support for high-value crops such as coconut, sandalwood, and walnuts
- Centre–state collaboration to revive and strengthen the sandalwood ecosystem
February 1, 2026 | 1:31 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: NIMHANS 2.0 Planned, National Mental Health Institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur to Be Upgraded
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Sunday, February 1, announced the setting up of NIMHANS 2.0 and the upgradation of National Mental Health Institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur as regional apex institutions to strengthen mental healthcare services.
Highlighting the lack of national mental health institutes in north India, Sitharaman said the government will establish NIMHANS-2 to address the gap. She also noted that medical emergencies often place a heavy financial burden on families, especially the poor and vulnerable. To tackle this, the government will strengthen district hospitals by 50% capacity through the establishment of Emergency and Trauma Care Centres, she said.
February 1, 2026 | 1:40 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Budget 2026 Proposals for the Northeastern Region Explained
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, announced a series of initiatives focused on the Purvodaya states and the Northeastern region, aimed at boosting infrastructure, tourism, and regional connectivity.
Key announcements include:
- Development of a dedicated East Coast Industrial Corridor, with an interconnected node at Durgapur
- Creation of five tourism destinations across five Purvodaya states, along with the deployment of 4,000 electric buses to improve mobility
- Launch of a new scheme to develop Buddhist circuits across Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura
February 1, 2026 | 1:22 PM
Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman Proposes One-Time Concessional Duty for SEZ Sales to Domestic Market
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on February 1, proposed a special one-time measure to allow eligible manufacturing units in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to sell goods in the domestic tariff area (DTA) at concessional duty rates.
The move follows long-standing industry demands, as many SEZ units have faced capacity utilisation challenges amid global trade disruptions, including high tariff barriers in the United States. Addressing these concerns in her Budget speech, Sitharaman said the measure aims to ease pressure on manufacturing units affected by international trade uncertainties.
February 1, 2026 | 1:10 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: SHE-Marts Proposed to Promote Women-Led Enterprises
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced the setting up of Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts, envisioned as community-owned retail outlets to support rural women-led enterprises. Speaking during her Budget address, Sitharaman said the initiative builds on the success of the Lakhpati Didi Programme, and aims to help women move beyond credit-led livelihoods to become owners of sustainable enterprises.
She said the SHE Marts will be established within cluster-level federations and supported through enhanced and innovative financing instruments, creating new market access for products made by women entrepreneurs in rural areas.
Highlighting the growing role of women in India’s economy, Sitharaman referred to recent findings that show women as key contributors to economic growth. Increasing women’s participation in the workforce to around 55% by 2050, she noted, could be critical to sustaining a high annual GDP growth rate. Women’s economic opportunities have also expanded through initiatives such as Stand-Up India, under which loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore are extended to SC, ST, and women entrepreneurs.
By December 2025, a total of 2.35 crore new Demat accounts were added, taking the overall number beyond 21.6 crore, with nearly one-fourth held by women. The reach of gender-focused welfare schemes has also widened significantly, with the e-Shram portal enrolling over 31 crore unorganised workers by January 2026, of which more than 54% are women.
The government’s sustained focus on women-centric development has also been reflected in Budget allocations. In Union Budget 2025, spending on women-focused schemes increased sharply, with the Gender Budget accounting for 8.86% of total expenditure, up from 6.8% in FY 2024–25. Higher allocations were directed towards maternal and child nutrition and women’s entrepreneurship, while 81.79% of the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s total allocation in FY 2025–26 was channelled into gender-focused programmes. Overall, women’s welfare spending touched a record ₹4.49 lakh crore in Budget 2025, marking a 37.25% increase over the previous year.
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: TDS on Liquor, Scrap and Mineral Transactions Cut to 2%
Union Budget 2026 Live: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the TCS rate on liquor, scrap and mineral transactions has been brought down to 2%.
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Multiple Direct Tax Reforms Proposed by Sitharaman
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed multiple direct tax measures, covering TDS, TCS, income tax exemptions, and revised timelines for filing returns, aimed at easing compliance for taxpayers.
Key direct tax proposals include:
- Interest awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to a natural person to be fully exempt from Income Tax
- Reduction in TCS on overseas tour programme packages from the existing 5% and 20% to a uniform 2%, with no minimum amount condition
- TCS rate under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for education and medical purposes reduced from 5% to 2%
- Extended timeline for revising income tax returns from December 31 to March 31, subject to payment of a nominal fee
- ITR-1 and ITR-2 filers to continue filing returns till July 31, while non-audit business cases and trusts will be allowed time till August 31
February 1, 2026 | 12:51 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Income Tax Return Revision Deadline Likely to Be Extended Till March 31
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 proposed extending the deadline for revising income tax returns from December 31 to March 31, subject to the payment of a nominal fee.
February 1, 2026 | 12:44 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Basic Customs Duty Exempted on 17 Cancer Drugs
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 announced a major rationalisation of customs duties to provide relief to individuals importing goods and patients requiring specialised treatment. She said the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use will be reduced from 20% to 10%.
To ease the financial burden on patients, particularly those undergoing cancer treatment, Sitharaman also announced a full exemption of basic customs duty on 17 drugs and medicines. In addition, seven more rare diseases will be included under the ambit of import duty exemptions for personal imports of drugs, medicines, and food for special medical purposes used in their treatment.
February 1, 2026 | 12:35 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Securities Transaction Tax on Futures Hiked to 0.05%
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, proposed a hike in the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on derivatives to curb excessive speculation. The STT on futures has been increased from 0.02% to 0.05%, while the STT on options premium has been raised to 0.15%.
Announcing the changes during her Budget speech, Sitharaman said the STT on options premium and the exercise of options will be increased to 0.15%, up from the existing 0.10% and 0.125%, respectively.
February 1, 2026 | 12:33 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Duty-Free Import Rules and Export Timelines—What’s Changed?
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 announced key measures to support exporters by easing duty-free import limits and extending export timelines. She said the limit for duty-free imports of specified inputs used in seafood processing for exports will be increased from 1% to 3% of the FOB value of the previous year’s export turnover.
The Finance Minister also proposed extending duty-free import benefits, currently available for exports of leather and synthetic footwear, to include exports of shoe uppers. In addition, the time limit for exporting final products will be extended from six months to one year for exporters of leather and textile garments, leather or synthetic footwear, and other leather products, providing greater operational flexibility.
February 1, 2026 | 12:28 PM
Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman Announces Customs Duty Exemption on Civilian Training, Aircraft Equipment
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 announced major customs duty relief for the civil and defence aviation sectors. She said the government will exempt basic customs duty on components and parts required for the manufacture of civilian training and other aircraft.
The Finance Minister also proposed a basic customs duty exemption on raw materials imported for manufacturing aircraft parts used in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations by defence sector units, a move aimed at strengthening domestic aviation manufacturing and repair capabilities.
February 1, 2026 | 12:35 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Tax Holiday Extended Till 2047 for Foreign Cloud Providers Using Data Centres in India
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, announced a tax holiday till 2047 for foreign cloud service providers that use data centres located in India, a move aimed at attracting global investment and strengthening India’s digital infrastructure.
Speaking in her Budget address, Sitharaman said the incentive is designed to boost the growth of data centres as critical infrastructure. Under the proposal, any foreign company providing cloud services globally using Indian data centres will be eligible for the tax holiday, provided it serves Indian customers through an Indian reseller entity.
She also proposed a safe harbour margin of 15% on costs in cases where the data centre service provider in India is a related entity, offering greater tax certainty to multinational firms. To support electronic manufacturing and just-in-time logistics, the Finance Minister further announced a safe harbour of 2% of invoice value for non-residents warehousing electronic components in bonded warehouses in India.
February 1, 2026 | 12:19 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: TCS on Sale of Overseas Tour Packages Slashed to 2%
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Addressing Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a sharp cut in the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rate on overseas tour packages to 2%, down from the earlier 5% and 20%, providing significant relief to travellers.
Presenting her proposals on direct taxes, Sitharaman said the comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act, 1961, announced in July 2024, has been completed in record time. The Income Tax Act, 2025 will come into force from April 1, 2026, with simplified tax rules and redesigned forms to be notified shortly, allowing taxpayers adequate time to familiarise themselves with the new system.
Among other key proposals, the Finance Minister said interest awarded by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to a natural person will be exempt from income tax, with cumbersome procedures to be removed. She also announced a reduction in TCS under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for education and medical purposes from 5% to 2%.
To remove ambiguity in tax compliance, Sitharaman added that the supply of manpower services will be explicitly included under payments to contractors for TDS purposes, with TDS applicable at 1% or 2%, depending on the case.
February 1, 2026 | 12:13 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: FY27 Fiscal Deficit Estimated at 4.3% of GDP
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, announced that the fiscal deficit for FY27 has been estimated at 4.3% of GDP, marking a marginal improvement from the 4.4% projected for FY26.
February 1, 2026 | 12:07 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: PFC and REC to Be Restructured, Says Sitharaman
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the government has outlined a clear vision for NBFCs under Viksit Bharat, with defined targets for credit disbursement and technology adoption.
To achieve greater scale and efficiency in public sector NBFCs, she said the government proposes, as a first step, to restructure the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), strengthening their role in financing India’s power and infrastructure sectors.
February 1, 2026 | 12:04 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: One Girls’ Hostel to Be Established in Every District
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced that the government will establish one girls’ hostel in every district across the country, a move aimed at improving access to education and safety for young women.
February 1, 2026 | 12:03 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live: Key Announcements for Women by FM Sitharaman
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: During her Budget 2026–27 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will build on the success of the Lakhpati Didi programme to help women transition from credit-linked livelihoods to enterprise ownership.
She announced that Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts will be set up as community-owned retail outlets within cluster-level federations, supported by enhanced and innovative financing instruments, to strengthen women-led businesses.
February 1, 2026 | 12:02 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Three New All India Institutes of Ayurveda to Be Set Up
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, proposed the establishment of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, aimed at strengthening traditional medicine education, research, and healthcare services across the country.
February 1, 2026 | 12:00 PM
Union Budget 2026 Live: Sitharaman Announces Measures to Build Skilled Career Pathways for Youth
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: To create a new range of skilled career pathways for India’s youth, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a set of targeted interventions focused on the healthcare and care economy.
Key focus areas include:
- Development of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to support the expanding healthcare system
- Strengthening the care ecosystem, including long-term and geriatric care services
- Creation of hubs for medical value tourism to generate skilled employment
- Establishment of NIMHANS-2 to boost mental healthcare education and services
- 50% capacity enhancement in district hospitals through the setting up of Emergency and Trauma Care Centres
February 1, 2026 | 11:59 AM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: PIOs Permitted to Invest in Equity Instruments and Listed Firms
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) will now be permitted to invest in equity instruments and listed Indian companies through the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).
February 1, 2026 | 11:56 AM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Public Capex for FY27 Hiked to ₹12.2 Lakh Crore
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, announced that the government has proposed to increase public capital expenditure to ₹12.2 lakh crore in FY27, signalling a continued push for infrastructure-led growth.
Highlighting the sustained rise in capex, Sitharaman said public capital expenditure has grown significantly from ₹2 lakh crore in 2014–15 to ₹11.2 lakh crore in 2025–26. “In FY 2026–27, I propose to increase it to ₹12.2 lakh crore to continue the momentum,” she said during her Budget speech.
February 1, 2026 | 11:53 AM
Budget 2026 Live: New ‘Education to Employment’ Standing Committee Proposed
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: During the Union Budget 2026–27 presentation in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the proposal to set up a High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee to strengthen the services sector as a key driver of Viksit Bharat.
She said the committee will aim to position India as a global leader in services, targeting a 10% share of the global services market by 2047. The panel will identify priority areas to maximise growth, employment, and exports, while also assessing the impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), on jobs and future skill requirements, and recommend appropriate measures.
February 1, 2026 | 11:47 AM
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: ₹100 Crore Incentive Proposed for Large Municipal Bond Issuances
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed an incentive of ₹100 crore for municipal corporations that undertake a single bond issuance of more than ₹1,000 crore, aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure financing and deepening the municipal bond market.
February 1, 2026 | 11:46 AM
Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman Proposes Seven High-Speed Corridors Linking Major Cities
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Addressing her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed the development of seven high-speed corridors between major cities, positioning them as growth connectors to boost connectivity, logistics efficiency, and economic activity.
February 1, 2026 | 11:44 AM
Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman Proposes Three-Pronged Approach for MSME Growth
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Recognising Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as a vital engine of economic growth, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed a three-pronged strategy to help MSMEs grow into ‘champions’.
The proposed approach focuses on:
- Equity support to strengthen capital base
- Liquidity support to ease cash-flow constraints
- Professional support to improve efficiency, governance, and competitiveness
February 1, 2026 | 11:42 AM
Budget 2026 Live: ₹20,000 Crore Proposed for CCUS Technologies
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, proposed an outlay of ₹20,000 crore over the next five years for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies, aimed at scaling up deployment and achieving higher technology readiness levels across end-use applications.
February 1, 2026 | 11:38 AM
Budget 2026 Live: Infrastructure Push Planned for Tier II, Tier III Cities
Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will continue its strong focus on infrastructure development in Tier II and Tier III cities, particularly those with a population of over five lakh, which have emerged as key growth centres.
She said that building on several large-scale public infrastructure initiatives already underway, the government aims to further strengthen these cities to support economic expansion, employment generation, and regional development.
February 1, 2026 | 11:36 AM
