Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered a mixed bag to capital market prioritising long-term capital instruments over short term one in Budget 2026-27. While raising tax on derivative transactions, the FM increased investment limits for NRIs, rationalised taxation on share buybacks, and proposed measures to deepen bond markets. Ms. Sitharman proposed to raise the STT on…
One interesting thing about the Budget is that people usually do not do a reality check vis-a-vis the previous Budget because the current one takes centre stage. Since Budget 2026-27 is quite run of the mill, it will not be out of place to start with the last Budget. If there is one thing you…
New Delhi: India’s Union budget for FY27 marks a clear shift in the Centre’s fiscal framework, with the government formally moving from a focus on annual fiscal deficit reduction to a debt-to-GDP regime of budget discipline that is designed to absorb external shocks without derailing medium-term consolidation. The new approach comes after the Centre sharply…
A woman plants rice saplings in a paddy field in Nagaon on February 1, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI The direction of fiscal policy is influenced by the nature of fiscal policy rules. The present fiscal policy rule of the Union government is informed by what can be termed as sound finance rules, where the…
New Delhi: The Union government has allocated ₹18,000 crore in the budget for FY27 for the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS) amid a renewed push to reform the power distribution sector. This is an increase from the ₹16,000 crore allocated for FY26, which was later revised to ₹15,671 crore. Mint earlier reported that the budget…
Budget 2026-27 comes at a time when the economy is experiencing a rare goldilocks period of high economic growth and low inflation. The Indian economy has become the fourth largest, overtaking Japan, retaining its tag of being one of the fastest growing economies. Beneath the headline numbers lie some inherent challenges, which could be amplified…
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered the Union Budget for 2026-27 on Sunday, 1 February. Marking her ninth consecutive budget speech, FM Sitharaman tabled a set of proposals in the Union Budget 2026, covering key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and various tax reforms. In the budget documents spanning over 200 pages, the government outlined…
All India Trade Union Congress leader Amarjeet Kaur said the Budget was full of rhetoric with no substance for the common masses, only future promises. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto The allocation for the Union Labour Ministry remained unchanged at around ₹32,666 crore like the last Budget. Trade unions alleged that the government neglected the…
In a major relief to taxpayers holding foreign assets, Budget 2026 has proposed a one-time six-month window for taxpayers to voluntarily declare any undisclosed foreign assets or foreign-sourced income and obtain amnesty from prosecution under the Black Money Act (BMA). Under tax laws, all foreign assets must be disclosed annually in the FA Schedule of…
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced major changes in the way securities, shares and investments are taxed in the Union Budget 2026-27. The Budget increases the tax on derivative trades. What is the net effect of a Securities Transaction Tax (STT) raise on derivative contract on retail investors and brokers? Will the intended effect pan out?…
