Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on 1st February, Sunday. The Budget presents a strategic framework focusing on long-term policy continuity while navigating immediate fiscal challenges. This comprehensive guide to the budget 2026 highlights the government’s multi-pronged approach to maintaining macroeconomic stability, accelerating infrastructure growth, and fostering a robust manufacturing ecosystem.
Budget 2026 Highlights : Key Takeaways
Before diving into the complex fiscal numbers, here are the most important points from the budget 2026 highlights that affect the daily lives of citizens, taxpayers, and investors:
- Income Tax & Slabs: There are no changes to the existing income tax slabs or capital gains taxation rates for the upcoming fiscal year.
- Tax Filing Ease: The ITR filing due date for non-audit taxpayers (specifically ITR-3 and ITR-4) has been extended to August 31, 2026.
- Life-Saving Drugs: Customs duties on 17 critical drugs, including those for oncology (cancer), have been reduced to Nil, making healthcare more affordable.
- Travel and Remittances: Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour packages has been lowered to a flat 2% for all remittances, simplifying the cost for international travelers.
- Market Trading Costs: Investors in the derivatives market will see higher costs as the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on Futures rises to 0.05% and Options premium to 0.15%.
- Rural Employment: A massive 42% increase in combined rural employment support, totaling ₹1,256 billion, through the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar & Ajeevika (Gramin).
Macro-Economic Foundations: Fiscal Discipline and Growth Targets
One of the core budget 2026 highlights is the government’s commitment to a multi-year fiscal consolidation roadmap. The Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD) for FY27 is budgeted at 4.3% of GDP, down from 4.4% in the FY26 Revised Estimate
The budget sets a target for Nominal GDP growth at 10% YoY for FY27, compared to 8% in the previous year. This growth is supported by several revenue streams:
| Economic Indicator | FY26 Revised (RE) | FY27 Budgeted (BE) | % YoY Growth |
| Nominal GDP Growth | 8.0% | 10.0% | – |
| Total Receipts (Trillion ₹) | 49.2 | 53.2 | 8.1% |
| Net Tax Revenue (Centre) (Trillion ₹) | 26.7 | 28.7 | 7.2% |
| Direct Tax Growth (Income Tax) | – | 14.7 | 11.7% |
| Corporation Tax (Trillion ₹) | 11.1 | 12.3 | 11.0% |
RE: Revised Estimates, BE: Budget Estimates
Borrowing and Divestment Strategy
To maintain fiscal health, the government has set an ambitious divestment target of ₹800 billion for FY27, more than double the ₹340 billion achieved last year. On the borrowing front, Gross Market Borrowings are budgeted at ₹17.2 trillion for FY27. This compares to the market expectation of approximately ₹16.5 trillion. Furthermore, the budget introduces a T-Bill issuance of ₹1.3 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year, a provision that was not present in the previous year.
Comprehensive Tax Reforms: Direct and Indirect Changes
A major segment of the budget 2026 highlights systemic changes to taxation to reduce litigation and simplify compliance for various categories of taxpayers.
Direct Taxes: Filing and Procedural Updates
The government has introduced several relaxations for individual and non-audit taxpayers:
| Category | Provision | Deadline/Rate |
| ITR Filing (Non-Audit) | Deadline for ITR-3 and ITR-4 | August 31, 2026 |
| Revised Return | Extension of filing window | Until March 31 |
| Late Fees (Revised) | For income up to ₹5 Lakh | ₹1,000 |
| Late Fees (Revised) | For income over ₹5 Lakh | ₹5,000 |
| Buyback Taxation | Treated as Capital Gains (Currently treated as dividend income.) | 22% for corporate promoters and 30% for non-corporate promoters |
Additional direct tax reforms include:
- TCS Rate Adjustments: TCS on education and medical remittances above ₹10 lakh has been lowered to 2%. Conversely, TCS on alcoholic liquor for human consumption and scrap has been increased to 2%.
- Foreign Asset Disclosure: A new one-time scheme allows small taxpayers, such as ESOP holders in foreign companies, to disclose dormant foreign bank accounts or assets without heavy penalties.
- NRI Property Sales: Buyers purchasing property from NRIs are no longer required to apply for a TAN; they can now use a PAN-based challan for TDS compliance.
- Digital Forms: Forms 15G and 15H can now be applied for and submitted electronically directly to depositories like CDSL and NSDL.
Indirect Taxes: GST and Customs
The budget 2026 highlights also focus on structural tightening of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and strategic customs duty adjustments to favor domestic manufacturing.
- GST Enhancements: Amendments clarify that post-sale discounts do not need to be linked to specific agreements for input tax credit (ITC) reversal. Furthermore, the minimum refund threshold for exports has been removed to improve cash flow for exporters.
- Customs Support for Industry:
- Solar Energy: Sodium antimonate, used in solar glass, is now exempt from Basic Customs Duty.
- Electronics: Basic customs duty exemption for capital goods used in Lithium-ion cell manufacturing has been extended to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
- Nuclear Power: The existing duty exemption for nuclear power projects has been extended until 2035.
- Seafood: The duty-free import limit for seafood processing inputs has been tripled to 3% of previous year’s turnover.
The Infrastructure Engine: Massive Capex Expansion
A central theme of the Union Budget 2026 is the significant increase in capital expenditure (Capex), which is intended to drive long-term economic growth through multiplier effects.
Total Capex (Government + PSU) is budgeted at ₹17.06 trillion, a 12% increase over the FY26 Revised Estimates.
Ministry-Wise Capex Focus:
- Communications: ₹0.48 trillion (+95% growth over FY26RE).
- Steel: ₹0.25 trillion (+23% growth).
- New & Renewable Energy: ₹0.43 trillion (+19% growth).
- Defence: ₹2.35 trillion (+17% growth).
Major projects announced include the construction of seven high-speed rail corridors and the operationalization of 20 new National Waterways (NW) over the next five years. Additionally, a new Dedicated Freight Corridor and an Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund will be established to ease financing bottlenecks and revive stalled projects.
Revolutionizing Manufacturing and Technology
The government is leveraging the Union Budget 2026 to position India as a global high-tech hub.
- India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0: This mission receives a major boost to deepen the semiconductor supply chain in India.
- Electronics Component Scheme (ECMS): The outlay for this scheme has been nearly doubled to ₹400 billion.
- Biopharma SHAKTI: A ₹100 billion program over five years to build a production ecosystem for biologics and biosimilars, including 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites.
- Data Center Tax Holiday: To promote India as a global data hub, foreign companies providing global cloud services using Indian data centers will receive a tax holiday until 2047.
- Rare Earth Corridors: Dedicated corridors in states like Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu will promote the mining and localized sourcing of magnets.
Healthcare and Social Welfare
The healthcare sector sees an allocation of ₹1.046 trillion for FY27, representing approximately 1.96% of the total budget.
Key Initiatives in Healthcare:
- Institutional Expansion: A new National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS-2) will be established in North India.
- Emergency Care: District hospitals will see their emergency and trauma care capacity expanded by 50%.
- Workforce Training: The government aims to add 1 lakh Allied Health Professionals over five years and train 1.5 lakh caregivers in a single year, focusing on geriatric care.
- Specialized Hubs: Five integrated medical hubs will be developed with private participation to boost medical tourism.
Sector wise Summaries
| Sector | Budget 2026 Highlights |
| Agriculture | Fertilizer subsidy at ₹1.7 trillion; launch of “Bharat-Vistaar” AI advisory for farmers. |
| Auto | ₹59 billion for Automobile PLI; support for 4,000 e-buses. |
| Telecom | ₹285 billion for BSNL; ₹200 billion for Bharat Net investment. |
| Aviation | BCD exemption for components used in civilian aircraft and defence MRO. |
| Energy | ₹200 billion outlay over five years for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS). |
Capital Markets and Financial Sector Reforms
The budget introduces specific measures to address market dynamics and foreign investment. The increase in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is intended to manage high volumes in the derivatives market. For foreign investors, the limit for individual “Persons Residing Outside India” (PROI) in listed companies has been raised to 10%, with aggregate limits at 24%. PROIs will also have direct access to Portfolio Management Services (PMS).
Conclusion : Budget 2026 Highlights
The Union Budget 2026-27 highlights a strategic focus on transformation through disciplined spending. By prioritizing massive infrastructure projects and high-tech manufacturing ecosystems, these budget 2026 highlights signal a clear commitment to long-term economic resilience. While taxpayers and market participants must adapt to procedural changes and adjusted tax rates, the underlying focus on stability, self-reliance, and “Viksit Bharat” remains the central theme of this fiscal year’s economic policy.
