DDIndia Business: Economic Headlines & Updates

Business

February 1, 2026 6:18 PM

FM Sitharaman raises education budget by 8.27% to Rs 1.39 lakh crore; Dharmendra Pradhan lauds ‘Yuva Shakti-driven budget

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday lauded the Union Budget 2026–27, calling it a “Yuva Shakti–driven budget” that places human capital at the centre of India’s development journey towards a Viksit Bharat. He said the Budg...

February 1, 2026 5:16 PM

Budget 2026-27 raises safe harbour threshold for IT services to Rs 2,000 crore, introduces automated approval process

In a major relief for India’s information technology sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a substantial expansion of the safe harbour framework for IT services in the Union Budget 2026-27, raising the eligibility threshol...

February 1, 2026 4:50 PM

Budget 2026-27 announces Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund; push to boost MSME liquidity and professional support

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a series of measures in the Union Budget 2026–27 aimed at strengthening Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including the launch of a dedicated ₹10,000-crore SME Growth Fund to nurt...

February 1, 2026 5:01 PM

Budget 2026-27 pitches AI and emerging technologies as growth drivers; Bharat-VISTAAR to support farmers

The Union Budget 2026-27 places strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies as key enablers of inclusive growth, capacity building and job creation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Budget in...

February 1, 2026 4:29 PM

Budget 2026-27 cuts import duty on personal goods, grants relief on medicines and streamlines customs procedures

The Union Budget 2026-27 has proposed sweeping reforms in customs and central excise aimed at simplifying the tariff structure, easing compliance, improving trade facilitation, and providing relief to passengers and patients, Union Finance Minister N...

February 1, 2026 4:17 PM

Two new schemes for empowerment of Divyangjan in Union Budget 2026-27

The Union Budget 2026-27 has introduced two major initiatives aimed at enhancing skill development and access to assistive technologies for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan), reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusive growth under th...

February 1, 2026 3:39 PM

Budget 2026-27 announces launch of India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, tax holiday for foreign firms offering global cloud services

The Union Budget 2026-27 has unveiled a series of measures aimed at accelerating growth in India’s electronics and information technology sectors, including the launch of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, an enhanced outlay for electronics man...

February 1, 2026 2:54 PM

Union Budget 2026-27 focuses on scaling up manufacturing in seven strategic sectors

The Union Budget 2026-27 places strong emphasis on scaling up manufacturing across seven strategic and frontier sectors, as the government seeks to strengthen India’s industrial base, reduce import dependence and position the country as a global ma...

February 1, 2026 4:59 PM

Union Budget 2026–27: A yuva shakti-driven blueprint for growth, inclusion and global integration

The Union Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, lays out an ambitious yet fiscally disciplined roadmap for India’s next phase of development, anchored in youth empowerment, inclusive growth and economic resilience. The f...

February 1, 2026 2:37 PM

Sensex, Nifty fall sharply during Budget speech on STT shock

Domestic equity markets came under heavy selling pressure on Sunday as stocks plunged sharply during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2026 speech, with investors reacting negatively to a steep hike in Securities Transaction Tax (S...