Union Budget 2026-27: LIVE
The presentation will also be the second full Budget since NDA returned to power for a third consecutive term in the 2024 general elections
FM Sitharaman (front left) & MoS Pankaj Chaudhary after final touches to Union Budget 2026–27, on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi, Feb 1: The Union Budget 2026–27, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today, is expected to prioritise defence, infrastructure, capital expenditure, power and affordable housing.
Sitharaman will table the Budget in the Lower House, marking the 15th Union Budget of the Narendra Modi-led government.
The presentation will also be the second full Budget since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power for a third consecutive term in the 2024 general elections.
The Finance Minister is set to create history by becoming the first woman to present the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time.
Economists said expectations around the FY27 Budget differ from the previous year, which was largely focused on boosting middle-class consumption through tax relief measures. The upcoming Budget, they noted, is likely to take a more calibrated approach to stimulating consumption while prioritising long-term growth drivers.
Greater emphasis is expected on capital expenditure, particularly in sectors considered strategically important amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. Defence preparedness, infrastructure development and energy security are likely to feature prominently in the spending roadmap.
According to an India Strategy report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, capital spending is expected to remain a key priority in the Budget, with allocations also likely to support higher growth in affordable housing.
Stay tuned for live updates, below:
Three dedicated chemical parks
FM proposed new scheme to support states in establishing three dedicated chemical parks through challenged routes on a cluster based plug-and-play model.
Scheme for rare earth permanent magnets
First launched in November 2025, Govt propose to support the mineral rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to establish dedicated are earth corridors, to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing.
India Semiconductor Mission 2.0
Building on India Semiconductor Mission 1.0, GOI will launch ISM 2.0 to produce equipment and materials, design full-stack Indian IT and fortify supply chains.
It will also focus on industry led research and training centres to develop technology and skilled workforce.
FM also proposed to increase the outlay for Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (launched in April 2025) to Rs. 40,000 crore from Rs 22, 919 crore.
Biopharma Shakti: Biopharma Strategy for Health Advancement through knowledge, technology and innovation
India's disease burden is shifting towards non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders. To develop India's global biopharma manufacturing hub, she proposed the outlay of Biopharma Shakti with an outlay of 10,000 Crores over the next five years.
The strategy will include:
- Biopharma focused network with three new national institutes of pharmaceutical education and research. Along with it, it will upgrade the seven exiting ones.
- create a network of 1000 accredited India clinical trial sites
- To strengthen the central drug standard control organisation
Under the first Kartavya, that is, "Accelerate and sustain economic growth", she proposed intervention in six different areas:
- Scaling up manufacturing in seven strategic and frontier sectors
- Rejuvenating legacy industrial sectors
- Creating champion MSMEs
- Delivering a powerful push for infrastructure
- Ensuring long-term security and stability
- Developing city-economic regions
The three fold-approach requires a supportive ecosystem. Requirements are:
- To sustain the momentum of structural reforms, continuous adaptive and forward looking
- Robust and resilient financial sector
- Cutting edge technologies including AI applications
First Budget prepared in the Kartavya Bhawan, following are the three Kartavyas that has inspired the present government:
- Accelerate and sustain economic growth by enhancing productivity and competiveness and building resilience to volatile global dynamics
- To fulfill aspirations of the people and build their capacity, making them strong partners in India's path to prosperity
- To ensure that every family, community, region and sector has access to resources, amenities and opportunities for meaningful participation
Calling the Union Budget 2026-27 a "Unique Yuva Shakti driven Budget", she informed how several innovative ideas shared through the Viksit Bharat Young Leader's 2026 Dialogue has inspired it. She detailed Government's sankalp is to focus on poor, underprivileged and the disadvantaged.
Keeping Atmanirbharta in mind, FM stated that the govt has built domestic manufacturing capacity, energy security and reduced critical import dependencies. All the adopted measures have cumulatively delivered a high growth rate of 7%. This has helped India to make substantial strives in poverty reduction and improvement of lives of the people.
FM Sitharaman begins by citing Government under the leadership of PM Modi decisively and consistently choosing action over ambivalence, reform over rhetoric and people over Popularism. She highlighted that the govt has persued far reaching structural reforms. Fiscal prudence and monetary stability while maintaining strong thrust on public investment.