Budget 2026: A look at Nirmala Sitharaman’s longest and shortest Budget speeches

Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her ninth consecutive Union Budget speech, lasting 1 hour and 25 minutes, outlining the fiscal roadmap for 2026-27. This presentation marks her record-breaking six years and eight months as Finance Minister in continuous office. Prime Minister Modi hailed the event as a proud parliamentary tradition.

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Union Budget 2026-27 unveils significant tech sector boosts, including a 20-year tax holiday for foreign cloud service providers operating from India. Key initiatives like India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and increased outlay for Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme aim to fortify domestic capabilities and attract global investment.

What Budget 2026-27 means for Indian IT industry: 8 Biggest announcements

Union Budget 2026-27 unveils significant tech sector boosts, including a 20-year tax holiday for foreign cloud service providers operating from India. Key initiatives like India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and increased outlay for Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme aim to fortify domestic capabilities and attract global investment.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, announced the creation of five university townships near major industrial and logistic corridors. These zones will house universities, colleges, research institutions, skill centres, and residential complexes, aiming to integrate education, skills, and employment. The Budget also includes girls’ hostels in every district to improve access and participation in higher education.

Education Budget 2026: Sitharaman announces five university townships to boost learning, research and jobs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, announced the creation of five university townships near major industrial and logistic corridors. These zones will house universities, colleges, research institutions, skill centres, and residential complexes, aiming to integrate education, skills, and employment. The Budget also includes girls’ hostels in every district to improve access and participation in higher education.

Budget 2026: What is in it for women? SHE Marts to be set up

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2026. New rules simplify tax filing and reduce burdens. Key changes include extended deadlines for revised returns and staggered filing dates. Tax Collected at Source rates for education, medical purposes, and overseas tours are reduced. Small taxpayers get easier tax deductions. Awards from the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal are now tax-exempt.

Budget 2026 income tax: Top announcements made by FM Sitharaman - check list

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2026. New rules simplify tax filing and reduce burdens. Key changes include extended deadlines for revised returns and staggered filing dates. Tax Collected at Source rates for education, medical purposes, and overseas tours are reduced. Small taxpayers get easier tax deductions. Awards from the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal are now tax-exempt.

Budget 2026: What is the Section 87A rebate limit under new I-T regime?

The most consequential decision is also the quietest. The Centre has accepted the Commission’s recommendation to retain 41% vertical devolution to states. In an era where political economy is increasingly centralised in rhetoric if not always in law, this is a signal worth underlining. It anchors federal trust even as the Centre tightens its own fiscal belt. The Budget’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at 4.3% of GDP, with a clear glide path towards a 50±1% debt-to-GDP ratio by 2030. This is not austerity. It is choreography.

From arithmetic to architecture: What Budget 2026 really means

The most consequential decision is also the quietest. The Centre has accepted the Commission’s recommendation to retain 41% vertical devolution to states. In an era where political economy is increasingly centralised in rhetoric if not always in law, this is a signal worth underlining. It anchors federal trust even as the Centre tightens its own fiscal belt. The Budget’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at 4.3% of GDP, with a clear glide path towards a 50±1% debt-to-GDP ratio by 2030. This is not austerity. It is choreography.

The Union Budget 2026 significantly boosts defence spending to Rs 7.85 lakh crore, a substantial rise from last year. Modernisation efforts will receive Rs 2.19 lakh crore, with key allocations for aircraft and naval fleets. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced customs duty exemptions on aircraft components and raw materials, aiming to invigorate the defence aerospace industry.

Op Sindoor impact: Defence budget jumps to Rs 7.85 lakh cr, modernisation gets Rs 2.19 lakh cr

The Union Budget 2026 significantly boosts defence spending to Rs 7.85 lakh crore, a substantial rise from last year. Modernisation efforts will receive Rs 2.19 lakh crore, with key allocations for aircraft and naval fleets. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced customs duty exemptions on aircraft components and raw materials, aiming to invigorate the defence aerospace industry.

Union Budget 2026-27: What gets cheaper, what gets costlier

Union Budget 2026-27 prioritizes infrastructure growth and manufacturing, with a significant capital expenditure increase to ₹12.2 lakh crore. Fiscal deficit targets 4.3% of GDP. Key initiatives include a new Income Tax Act, the Biopharma Shakti scheme, and support for semiconductor and rare earth production, aiming to boost economic momentum and self-reliance.

Budget 2026: Rare earths & Orange Economy - key takeaways and what they mean

Union Budget 2026-27 prioritizes infrastructure growth and manufacturing, with a significant capital expenditure increase to ₹12.2 lakh crore. Fiscal deficit targets 4.3% of GDP. Key initiatives include a new Income Tax Act, the Biopharma Shakti scheme, and support for semiconductor and rare earth production, aiming to boost economic momentum and self-reliance.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a nearly 9 per cent increase in capital expenditure to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY 2026-27, prioritizing infrastructure-led growth. The budget also introduces a risk guarantee fund to boost private participation and outlines initiatives for transport, logistics, and manufacturing to support future economic expansion.

Union Budget 2026: Big push to ‘future ready’ infra, FM raises capex target to 12.2 lakh crore

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a nearly 9 per cent increase in capital expenditure to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY 2026-27, prioritizing infrastructure-led growth. The budget also introduces a risk guarantee fund to boost private participation and outlines initiatives for transport, logistics, and manufacturing to support future economic expansion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27, announcing a Rs 12.2 lakh crore capex target and a fiscal deficit of 4.3%. Key highlights include no changes to income tax slabs, relief for accident compensation recipients, and reduced TCS on overseas tour packages. The new Income Tax Act, 2025, takes effect April 1.

Budget Highlights: No change in tax slabs, high-speed rail and rare earth corridors

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27, announcing a Rs 12.2 lakh crore capex target and a fiscal deficit of 4.3%. Key highlights include no changes to income tax slabs, relief for accident compensation recipients, and reduced TCS on overseas tour packages. The new Income Tax Act, 2025, takes effect April 1.

Latest Income Slabs FY 2026-2027 after Budget 2026: Taxpayers will continue to pay income tax as per the ongoing income tax slabs that are currency effective for FY 2025-2026. The income tax slabs under the new income tax regime underwent a major overhaul in last year’s Budget and hence this year the expectation was low of the FM bringing any changes.

Change in income tax slabs after Budget 2026? Check for new, old regime

Latest Income Slabs FY 2026-2027 after Budget 2026: Taxpayers will continue to pay income tax as per the ongoing income tax slabs that are currency effective for FY 2025-2026. The income tax slabs under the new income tax regime underwent a major overhaul in last year’s Budget and hence this year the expectation was low of the FM bringing any changes.

Big agriculture push! FM Sitharaman proposes multilingual AI tool — What is Bharat Vistar

Returned home after studying abroad? Union Budget 2026 introduces a one-time, six-month foreign asset disclosure scheme that lets you voluntarily report undisclosed overseas income or foreign bank accounts (within ₹1 crore/₹5 crore limits) without penalties or prosecution. For Indian students with foreign internships, stipends, overseas pay, ESOPs or global accounts, this is a rare compliance reset before tax residency reignites scrutiny.

Returned from studying abroad? Union Budget 2026 tax clause students shouldn’t ignore

Returned home after studying abroad? Union Budget 2026 introduces a one-time, six-month foreign asset disclosure scheme that lets you voluntarily report undisclosed overseas income or foreign bank accounts (within ₹1 crore/₹5 crore limits) without penalties or prosecution. For Indian students with foreign internships, stipends, overseas pay, ESOPs or global accounts, this is a rare compliance reset before tax residency reignites scrutiny.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget—becoming the first finance minister in India to achieve this milestone—and also the first to present a Union Budget on a Sunday. The Economic Survey tabled ahead of the Budget had projected India’s economic growth at 6.8–7.2 per cent in FY27, providing the broader macroeconomic context for social sector spending.

Union Budget 2026: Govt waives customs duty on cancer drugs—key health sector updates

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget—becoming the first finance minister in India to achieve this milestone—and also the first to present a Union Budget on a Sunday. The Economic Survey tabled ahead of the Budget had projected India’s economic growth at 6.8–7.2 per cent in FY27, providing the broader macroeconomic context for social sector spending.