![\"Union](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Budget-2026_1769929147981_1769929148161.jpg\" "\\"Union")
<\/p>\nUpdated on: Feb 01, 2026 5:21:30 PM IST<\/p>\n
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Union Budget 2026 LIVE: People watch Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech in Parliament, in Patna on Sunday, 1 February 2026.<\/p>\n
…Read More<\/p>\n
Accelerating and sustaining economic growth: The focus is on enhancing productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness while building resilience to withstand volatile global dynamics and external shocks.Fulfilling people’s aspirations and capacity building: This responsibility targets building the capacity of citizens through skill-building, employment, and human capital development, making them active partners in the nation’s path to prosperity.Ensuring inclusive access to opportunities: Aligned with the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, this duty aims to ensure that every family, community, region, and sector has equitable access to resources, amenities, and opportunities for meaningful participation.<\/p>\n
The Fiscal Arithmetic <\/p>\n
The hallmark of Budget 2026 is its commitment to fiscal glide paths. After the pandemic-era spike, the government has managed to trim fiscal deficit target to 4.3% of GDP, down from 4.4% in the revised estimates for the current year. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Gross Tax Revenue: Projected to reach \u20b944.04 lakh crore, driven largely by robust collections in Income Tax ( \u20b914.66 lakh crore) and Corporation Tax ( \u20b912.31 lakh crore). <\/p>\n
\u2022 Borrowing Plan: To fund the fiscal deficit, the government plans gross market borrowings of \u20b911.73 lakh crore, maintaining a stable presence in the sovereign bond markets. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Nominal GDP Growth: The budget is built on a conservative yet steady nominal GDP growth assumption of 10%, projecting a total gross domestic product of \u20b9393 lakh crore. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Largest-ever capex: Government spending remains the primary engine of its economic strategy. The budget allocates \u20b912.22 lakh crore directly to capex, a 11.5% increase over the previous year’s revised estimates. <\/p>\n
\u201cProgressively, the share of effective capex has increased over the years while expenditure on revenue account has come down, indicating an improved quality of expenditure,\u201d Sitharaman said in her budget speech. <\/p>\n
Global risks <\/p>\n
\u201cIn a year marked by global trade volatility and US tariffs, the government\u2019s adherence to fiscal consolidation\u2014aiming for a deficit glide path near 4%\u2014is the \u2018stability premium\u2019 foreign investors were looking for,\u201d said Vaibhav Mittal, a partner at Khaitan & Co. <\/p>\n
\u201cBy avoiding populist excesses and focusing on \u2018fiscal prudence and monetary stability\u2019, the budget provides the predictability required to curb foreign inflows and bolster the rupee.\u201d <\/p>\n
Follow all the updates here:<\/p>\n
Feb 01, 2026 5:21:17 PM IST<\/p>\n
Budget 2026 LIVE: Sensex, Nifty see worst budget-day trading in at least six years<\/p>\n
India’s stock market recorded<\/a> its worst budget day in six years after the Union Budget 2026 proposed a higher tax to curb F&O trading and new way to tax share buybacks.<\/p>\n The 30-share S&P BSE Sensex fell 1.88%, or 1,546.84 points, to 80,722.94 even as the broader NSE Nifty 50 fell 1.96%, or 495.20 points, to 24,825.45. Fifteen of 16 major sectors ended in the red. The small-caps and mid-caps slid 2.7% and 2.2%, respectively.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 4:50:09 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Telecom gets \u20b973,990 crore for BSNL, BharatNet<\/p>\n The government has increased<\/a> the outlay for the telecom ministry by nearly 40%, mainly due to BSNL and BharatNet.<\/p>\n “We’ve seen a very healthy increase in allocation from revised estimate of last year, \u20b953,000 crore on telecom. We have grown to \u20b973,000 crore. That’s almost 40%,” Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech in Parliament.<\/p>\n \u201cOur ARPU (average revenue per user) grew by almost 9% from \u20b990 to almost \u20b999. We would like to touch three digits soon,\u201d he said. \u201cWe’ve grown revenue across the board across all our three verticals, and now we need this injection of capex along with our internal cash flows so that we can take BSNL on its path of resurgence.\u201d<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 3:29:37 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: STT hike only for F&O trading, govt official says<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 12:21:09 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: IT bonanza from FM Sitharaman<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has proposed a tax holiday until 2047 for any foreign company that sets up data centres in India for the world. A safe harbour of 15% on cost for companies provided data services from India is a related entity.<\/p>\n \u2022 All IT services will be clubbed under a single category with a common safe harbour margin of 15.5%.<\/p>\n \u2022 Threshold for availing safe harbour for IT services to be enhanced to \u20b92,000 crore from \u20b9300 crore.<\/p>\n \u2022 A Safe harbour for IT services to be approved by an automatic rule-driven model.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 12:11:56 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Income Tax<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has extend the timeline to revise ITR with payment of nominal fee.<\/p>\n \u2022 Individuals with ITR1 and ITR2 to continue to file till 31 July.<\/p>\n \u2022 TDS on sale of immovable property by NRIs to be deducted by resident buyer vs earlier requirement of TAN.<\/p>\n \u2022 Taxpayers allowed to update income tax returns even after reassessment but with 10% tax.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 12:08:55 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: For the Creator Economy, Education<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has proposed an Indian Institute of Creative Technologies In Mumbai for India’s animation, visual effects, gaming sector is growing industry, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says in budget speech.<\/p>\n \u2022 Proposes to create five university townships<\/p>\n \u2022 Plans academic zones to host multiple colleges, skill centres, residential areas<\/p>\n \u2022 Proposal to set up one girls hostel in every district<\/p>\n \u2022 A new National Institute of Design will come up in East India.<\/p>\n The budget has an outlay of \u20b920,000 crores over the next 5 years in Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 12:03:53 PM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Revenue and Spending<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: India has revised higher its expenditure goal to \u20b953.5 lakh crore versus \u20b949.6 lakh crore in FY26.<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 Net market borrowing estimated at \u20b911.7 lakh crore<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 Gross market borrowing seen at \u20b917.2 lakh crore<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 Net tax receipts estimated at \u20b928.7 lakh crore in FY27<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:57:27 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: India sets fiscal deficit target at 4.3% in FY27<\/p>\n Union Budget 2027 LIVE: India has set itself a fiscal deficit target of 4.3% of GDP in FY27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says in budget speech. India’s Debt-to-GDP ratio estimated at 55.6% in FY27 vs 56.1% in FY26.<\/p>\n \u201cI have fulfilled my commitment made in FY22 to reduce India’s fiscal deficit below 4.5% of GDP,\u201d Sitharaman says.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:54:47 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: 16th Finance Commission<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: 16th Finance Commission has recommended 41% tax devolution to states \u2014 the highest yet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:53:09 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Budget speech talks culture & tourism<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposes an archeological revival in her budget speech.<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 \u206015 sites like Sarnath, Hastinapur to become vibrant cultural hubs<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 \u2060Digital Knowledge Grid to document key heritage places<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 \u2060New roles for local researchers, historians, tech partners<\/p>\n \u2022\u2060 \u2060Development of tourism, knowledge economy around sites<\/p>\n The budget also provides for the Khelo India mission to sports at the grassroots level. That aligns with employment and youth development goals.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:42:12 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Mahatma Gandhi Gram Samaj<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has proposed to launch the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Samaj initiative to support khadi, handicrafts, FM Nirmala Sitharaman says in budget speech.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:40:40 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: The inland waterways focus<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, has laid special emphasis on inland waterways.<\/p>\n 1. 20 new national waterways over next five years.<\/p>\n 2. A ship-repair ecosystem to be developed in Varanasi, Patna<\/p>\n 3. A coastal cargo scheme to increase share of coastal shipping.<\/p>\n 4. Support to manufacturing of sea planes in India.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:36:41 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: FM lists infrastructure goals in budget speech<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Apart from a higher capex outlay, the budget has proposed a new Infra Risk Guarantee Fund has been proposed, as well as dedicated REITs for recycling assets of CPSEs.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:32:32 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Focus on labour-intensive MSMEs<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has proposed a \u20b910,000-crore SME growth fund to incentivise small industries in India. A Self-Reliant India fund with \u20b92,000 crore will support micro enterprises. Here are a few highlights:<\/p>\n 1. A new scheme to support states in estabilishing three chemical parks.<\/p>\n 2. \u20b910,000 crore for container manufacturing in India over five years.<\/p>\n 3. A new National Fibre Scheme proposed for self-sufficiency in fibres.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:26:21 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: India’s capex plan for FY27<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: India has raised its capex outlay for FY27 to further the reforms push, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says in budget speech. The capex for FY26 was \u20b911 lakh crore.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:23:10 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: India Semiconductor Mission 2.0<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government has proposed to launch India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 with focus on industry-led R&D and training centres for chips. The outlay has been increased to \u20b940,000 crore.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:21:39 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: \u20b910,000-crore SME growth fund<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, has proposed a \u20b910,000-crore SME growth fund.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:19:40 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: The key agendas of FY27<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed interventions in key areas:<\/p>\n 1. The Scale-up of manufacturing in strategic sectors<\/p>\n 2. Creation of Champion MSMEs in India<\/p>\n 3. Development of strategic economic regions<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:15:51 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: \u20b910,000 crore for biopharma sector<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The government proposes to allocate \u20b910,000 crore for the biopharma sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says in her budget speech. <\/p>\n India will become a global biopharma hub under \u2018Biopharma Shakti\u2019 with \u20b910,000 crore outlay over five years. It will create network of 1,000 accredited trial sites to bolster biopharma industry.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government has undertaken comprehensive reforms for accelerating growth, boosting productivity,\u201d she says. \u201cMore than 350 reforms have been rolled out recently. The reform express is well on its way.\u201d<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:08:45 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Budget based on three \u2018kartavyas\u2019, Nirmala Sitharaman says in budget speech<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The budget is based on three kartavyas, or responsibilities, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech.<\/p>\n 1. First is to accelerate and sustain economic growth by enhancing competitiveness <\/p>\n 2. Second is to fulfil aspirations of our people <\/p>\n 3. Third is to ensure that every family, community, region has access to resources, opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cThreefold approach requires supportive ecosystem. It is a unique, yuva shakti-driven budget,\u201dshe says.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:05:01 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Reforms over Rhetoric, says Sitharaman<\/p>\n The government has focused on delivering reforms over mere rhetoric, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says to begin her budget speech. That’s helped us deliver GDP growth rate of 7.2%, amid geopolitical crises, she says.<\/p>\n \u201cIndia’s economic trajectory marked by stability over 12 years. The stability has been displayed amid ongoing uncertainty,\u201d the finance minister says. \u201cThe government has preferred reform over rhetoric and pursued far-reaching reforms.\u201d<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 11:01:00 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Nirmala Sitharaman begins budget speech<\/p>\n Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has started delivering her ninth consecutive budget speech in Parliament. She is expected to continue the reforms overdrive of the Narendra Modi government.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 10:49:07 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Cabinet approves Finance Bill, 2026-27<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026-27: The Union Cabinet has approved the Finance Bill 2026 ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech at 11:00 am today.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 10:42:01 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: \u201cThis is a \u2018deform\u2019 budget, not \u2018reform\u2019 budget\u201d<\/p>\n India’s opposition leaders have started arriving at the parliament for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech at 11:00 am. Here’s what they had to say:<\/p>\n Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party): This is “deform budget” not reforms budget… This budget is for 5% of the country’s population. BJP just tries to set its own people…”<\/p>\n Sachin Pilot (Congress): Despite being in power for years, I think the BJP has focused on issues which are not very impactful on the ground. The Govt has formed a new law to almost scrap MGNREGA. They say that they are reforming it, but the reality is that on average, 35 days of MGNREGA are being used in this country.<\/p>\n Manish Tewari: There are structural problems in the Indian economy which have not been addressed in a decade… Private investment has not kicked in…FDI has declined… I hope the FM will recognise the structural inequities in the Indian economy and would be honest enough to address it\u2026<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 10:28:23 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: GST collections up 6.2% to \u20b91.93 lakh crore<\/p>\n Gross GST collections<\/a> rose 6.2% to over \u20b91.93 lakh crore in January, mainly on higher revenue from imports. Total refunds declined 3.1% to \u20b922,665 crore. Net GST collections, however, grew 7.6% to about \u20b91.71 lakh crore in January.<\/p>\n Effective September 22, 2025, GST rates on about 375 items were slashed, making goods cheaper. Also, a compensation cess is levied only on tobacco and related products, as opposed to luxury, sin and demerit goods earlier. The lowering of GST rates has impacted revenue collections.<\/p>\n Gross tax collections from domestic transactions grew 4.8% to \u20b91.41 lakh crore, while import revenues were up 10.1% to \u20b952,253 crore in January.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 10:17:51 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Sitharaman continues her \u2018saree diplomacy\u2019 Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Marking a historic milestone as the first Indian finance minister to present nine consecutive budgets, Nirmala continued her tradition of ‘saree diplomacy’, choosing a garment that weaves together national heritage and economic vision. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 10:06:11 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Cabinet meeting underway ahead of budget speech<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has arrived at the Parliament to deliver her budget speech at 11:00 am. A cabinet meeting is currently underway.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 9:48:00 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Sensex, Nifty muted at Open<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: India’s stock market was muted in a special trading session ahead of the budget on Sunday, with investors awaiting support for growth from government capital spending and relief for export-oriented sectors hit by U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n \u201cTrading on budget day requires extreme caution because it is one of the most volatile days in the year for Indian markets,\u201d said Santosh Meena, head of research at Swastika Investmart.<\/p>\n \u201cSince it’s a Sunday, the market dynamics are unique, institutional investors who typically provide the necessary liquidity and stability may remain largely absent or inactive.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow HT’s live blog on stock market today here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 9:17:39 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: FM Sitharaman calls on President Murmu<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has met President Droupadi M. Murmu ahead of budget speech in parliament at 11:00 am today.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 9:10:21 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: What women entrepreneurs want<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Women entrepreneurs are not only asking for funding but also want capacity building. Their recommendations include expanded skill plans tailored to women founders and first-time entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n These would complement financial support with training in digital marketing, business planning, export readiness, and compliance\u2014skills that are especially critical in a rapidly digitising economy. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 8:55:45 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: What are Bihar’s expectations<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The state of Bihar, which received a special emphasis in last year’s budget, has a wishlist for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Union Budget 2026.<\/p>\n The Bihar Chamber of Commerce has said that Bihar should get more funds for industrial growth, higher allocation in state schemes, opening of closed sugar mills and setting up of semiconductor hubs and industrial parks. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 8:49:19 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 Expectations: Key things to watch out for<\/p>\n The Union Budget 2026 comes at a time when the global economy is rife with uncertainty stemming from US President Donald Trump. And India, despite growing at its fastest pace in at least 18 months, is feeling the effects.<\/p>\n Against that backdrop, here are 10 key things<\/a> that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to focus on in her budget speech.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 8:34:29 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Nirmala Sitharaman arrives at Kartavya Bhawan<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has arrived at the Kartavya Bhawan ahead of her budget speech in Parliament at 11:00 am today.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 8:13:18 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: What to expect and what not to<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The Economic Survey 2025-26 expects India’s real GDP growth rate at 6.8-7.2% in FY27, and the fiscal consolidation strategy to continue. This leaves little interest in the immediate fiscal calculus of Budget 2026.<\/p>\n Does this make it an unimportant exercise? Far from it. The correct way to read this year\u2019s budget is in the proper context. Here are some numbers that explain it better.<\/a><\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 7:54:30 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Where will govt revenue come from? Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The cut in GST and income tax last year to cushion the impact of 50% US tariff on India\u2019s economy has led to a sharp drop in revenues. Net tax collection is seen at \u20b928.3 lakh crore in FY26. The government is also aiming to garner \u20b950,000 crore from divestments and \u20b93 lakh crore in RBI dividend”>up to \u20b93 lakh crore in RBI dividend<\/a> in FY26.<\/p>\n Tax collections will need to rise 11.7% and 43% year-on-year, respectively, in the final four months of FY26 to meet budgeted targets, DBS Bank\u2019s Radhika Rao told Bloomberg. Any shortfall is likely to be offset through a recalibration of spending without jeopardising the fiscal deficit target of 4.4% for FY26.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 7:35:47 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Unprecedented focus on Part B likely<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE:Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech is likely to place \u201cunprecedented emphasis\u201d on Part B of the Union Budget 2026-27<\/a>, HT has learnt from government sources.<\/p>\n The budget speech is expected to look markedly different from those delivered over the past 75 years, with the second part taking centre stage. Read on<\/a>.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 7:20:21 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: The reforms engine for an express economy Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The Union Budget 2026<\/a>, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today, is expected to accelerate regulatory reforms by dismantling compliance burdens for the Viksit Bharat 2047 goal, people familiar with the matter said, attributing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s \u201cReform Express\u201d focus in recent policy directives. Read on<\/a>.<\/p>\n Economists expect India\u2019s GDP growth rate at 6.5% to 7% in FY27, with inflation around the Reserve Bank of India\u2019s 4% target.<\/p>\n The Economic Survey 205-26 expects growth to marginally slow, pegging it between 6.8% and 7.2% in the fiscal year starting 1 April 2026. Expansion is estimated at 7.4% in FY26.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 7:01:01 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 Expectations: Real Estate & Affordable Housing<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The real estate sector is expecting<\/a> a strong focus on affordable house and rental housing in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech.<\/p>\n Industry stakeholders are seeking a broader definition of affordable housing, tax relief for homebuyers, and incentives for developers to encourage the construction of budget-friendly homes.<\/p>\n Section 24(b): Developers are pushing for the home loan interest deduction limit to be raised from \u20b92 lakh to \u20b95 lakh for first-time buyers.<\/p>\n Infrastructure Status: A long-standing demand for the real estate sector to receive \u201cInfrastructure Status\u201d to allow easier access to low-cost institutional credit.<\/p>\n Feb 01, 2026 6:45:03 AM IST<\/p>\n Budget 2026 LIVE: Report of 16th Finance Commission due today<\/p>\n Union Budget 2026 LIVE: The report of 16th Finance Commission is likely to be tabled in the Parliament today, along with the Finance Bill for FY27. Finance Commissions are constitutionally mandated bodies that define the revenue sharing between centre and the states every five years.<\/p>\n Fiscal federalism is a widely debated and often emotive issue in the larger political economy space in India. Opinions and takes are often strong, although not necessarily rooted in facts.<\/p>\n![\"Finance](\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/ht-img\/img\/2026\/02\/01\/original\/Nirmala_Sitharaman_at_Kartavya_Bhawan_1769921189751.jpeg\" "\\"Finance")
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the Kartavya Bhawan before her budget speech in Parliament at 11:00 am today. (HT)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/ht-img\/img\/2026\/02\/01\/original\/GST_1769912124366.jpeg\" "\\"\\"")
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