From ‘bahi-khata’ to tablet: Tracing Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget journey since 2019

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, marking a rare Sunday sitting and a first in independent India’s history. The Union Budget for FY27 (April 2026–March 2027) is expected to outline measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline and push reforms … Read more

Income Tax Slabs Budget 2026 Live Updates: Will FM Sitharaman cheer salaried, middle class taxpayers with tax relief? New tax regime for FY 2026-27 in focus

Income Tax Budget 2026 Live: Middle class and salaried taxpayers will closely follow Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget speech, hoping for additional tax relief. In the previous Budget, the FM completely revamped the new income tax regime. While experts believe that Budget 2026 offers limited fiscal headroom for sweeping tax changes, there is still … Read more

Budget 2026 glossary explained: From deficit to disinvestment, key terms decoded to understand Budget numbers and policies

The Union Budget comes with a vocabulary that can be confusing even for regular readers. Many terms are technical, and are used repeatedly across Budget documents, tables and debates. The “Budget at a Glance” table presents a consolidated snapshot of the Union Government’s finances for a financial year, showing actuals, Budget Estimates and Revised Estimates … Read more

Budget 2026: Fiscal deficit, capex, borrowing and debt roadmap among key numbers to track

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record ninth straight Union Budget, with markets closely tracking headline numbers ranging from the fiscal deficit and capital expenditure to borrowing and tax revenue projections, as India charts its course as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.The Budget will be presented in a paperless format, continuing the … Read more

Budget 2026: What five years of data reveal about India’s direct and indirect taxes – explained

As Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget 2026–27 tomorrow (February 1), tax data from the past five years highlights the evolving revenue base of the government. Both direct and indirect taxes have grown steadily, reflecting changes in economic activity, compliance and policy design. A closer look at the data shows … Read more

How Budget 2026 can improve ease of paying taxes

Improving the ease of doing business has been a consistent focus of the government. Successive Budgets have announced initiatives towards policy and regulatory reforms, decriminalisation and easing compliances in various spheres including taxation. The current financial year witnessed significant measures like structural simplification through the new Income tax law, boosting consumption through tax reliefs for … Read more