Times of India

Union Budget 2026, hailed as a "highway of immense opportunities," focuses on economic growth, meeting aspirations, and equitable resource distribution. Key proposals include infrastructure development, tourism promotion, pharmaceutical sector investment, and measures to boost women entrepreneurship and the textile industry. However, markets reacted negatively to increased Securities Transaction Tax, impacting traders and promoters.

Union Budget 2026 maintains the existing income tax framework, with the new regime offering tax-free income up to Rs 12 lakh for individuals. While the old regime continues with its deductions, the new system has been progressively liberalized since 2020, making it increasingly attractive for middle-income taxpayers.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27, her ninth consecutive, with major announcements across defence, railways, income tax, and healthcare. Prime Minister Modi hailed it as "historic" and a "high flight toward Viksit Bharat." Key proposals include a significant defence allocation, seven high-speed rail corridors, a simplified Income Tax Act, and support for rare-earth mineral development.

'Border 2' continues its strong run in theaters, nearing Rs 262.45 crore after its third week. Despite expected weekday drops, the film saw a solid second weekend. Meanwhile, Rani Mukerji's 'Mardaani' opened to Rs 4 crore, showing promising growth on its second day, indicating audience interest.

Union Budget 2026-27 unveils significant tech sector boosts, including a 20-year tax holiday for foreign cloud service providers operating from India. Key initiatives like India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and increased outlay for Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme aim to fortify domestic capabilities and attract global investment.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27, increasing capital expenditure to Rs 12.2 lakh crore. The Rs 53.5 lakh crore budget received mixed reactions, with the BJP hailing it as growth-oriented, while the Congress termed it "disappointing" and lacking specifics for common citizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Union Budget 2026 as "historic," charting a roadmap for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and boosting India's reform journey. He also highlighted the "mother of all deals" with the EU, aimed at benefiting youth and MSMEs, and praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's record ninth consecutive budget presentation.

Union Budget 2026-27 prioritizes infrastructure growth and manufacturing, with a significant capital expenditure increase to ₹12.2 lakh crore. Fiscal deficit targets 4.3% of GDP. Key initiatives include a new Income Tax Act, the Biopharma Shakti scheme, and support for semiconductor and rare earth production, aiming to boost economic momentum and self-reliance.

Foreign companies offering global cloud services via Indian data centres will enjoy a tax holiday until 2047, a significant boost for digital infrastructure. This move aims to attract investment and strengthen India's position in cloud computing and AI. Software development and IT services are now unified under a single category, with a common safe harbour margin of 15.5 per cent.

Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her ninth consecutive Union Budget speech, lasting 1 hour and 25 minutes, outlining the fiscal roadmap for 2026-27. This presentation marks her record-breaking six years and eight months as Finance Minister in continuous office. Prime Minister Modi hailed the event as a proud parliamentary tradition.

Returned home after studying abroad? Union Budget 2026 introduces a one-time, six-month foreign asset disclosure scheme that lets you voluntarily report undisclosed overseas income or foreign bank accounts (within ₹1 crore/₹5 crore limits) without penalties or prosecution. For Indian students with foreign internships, stipends, overseas pay, ESOPs or global accounts, this is a rare compliance reset before tax residency reignites scrutiny.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget—becoming the first finance minister in India to achieve this milestone—and also the first to present a Union Budget on a Sunday. The Economic Survey tabled ahead of the Budget had projected India’s economic growth at 6.8–7.2 per cent in FY27, providing the broader macroeconomic context for social sector spending.

Stock market crash after Budget 2026: Investors reacted negatively to a hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on futures and options (F&O) trades announced by FM Sitharaman.

Latest Income Slabs FY 2026-2027 after Budget 2026: Taxpayers will continue to pay income tax as per the ongoing income tax slabs that are currency effective for FY 2025-2026. The income tax slabs under the new income tax regime underwent a major overhaul in last year’s Budget and hence this year the expectation was low of the FM bringing any changes.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new Khelo India mission to transform India's sports sector over the next decade. This initiative will focus on an integrated talent development framework, including training centers, coach development, sports science integration, and infrastructure enhancement. The mission aims to nurture grassroots talent and bolster India's global sporting ambitions.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a nearly 9 per cent increase in capital expenditure to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY 2026-27, prioritizing infrastructure-led growth. The budget also introduces a risk guarantee fund to boost private participation and outlines initiatives for transport, logistics, and manufacturing to support future economic expansion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2026. New rules simplify tax filing and reduce burdens. Key changes include extended deadlines for revised returns and staggered filing dates. Tax Collected at Source rates for education, medical purposes, and overseas tours are reduced. Small taxpayers get easier tax deductions. Awards from the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal are now tax-exempt.

Oracle faces massive job cuts, potentially 20,000-30,000, to fund its costly $300 billion OpenAI partnership. The tech giant has already incurred significant debt for AI data centers, with its stock value plummeting. US banks are hesitant to finance Oracle's projects, forcing the company to seek upfront customer payments and consider selling its Cerner unit.