Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2025-26, outlining a strategic roadmap to ensure India’s continued economic growth. The focus was placed on agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports, with an emphasis on reforms that will boost job creation, self-reliance, and global competitiveness.
In her address to Parliament, Sitharaman expressed that the budget aims to accelerate growth and drive India’s journey toward becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). She highlighted the resilience of the Indian economy, noting that it remains the fastest-growing major economy globally.
The Finance Minister elaborated on the four key pillars driving the budget: Garib (poor), Youth, Annadata (farmers), and Nari (women). These pillars aim to ensure inclusive growth and socio-economic upliftment across all segments of society.
“This budget is focused on accelerating growth, aligned with our aspirations for a ‘Viksit Bharat,'” she stated. “Our economy remains the fastest growing among all major global economies.”
The budget also targets transformative reforms across multiple sectors, including taxation, power, urban development, mining, and the financial sector, all designed to spur economic expansion and strengthen India’s global standing.
Sitharaman emphasized that India’s economic progress over the past decade, bolstered by structural reforms, has attracted global attention. With rising investor confidence and expanding international partnerships, the next five years represent a critical opportunity to realize the goal of ‘Sabka Vikas’—ensuring balanced development across all regions and sectors.
“Our economy is the fastest-growing among major global economies,” she said. “The structural reforms and development initiatives of the past 10 years have heightened global confidence in India’s potential. We see the next five years as a unique opportunity to achieve ‘Sabka Vikas’ and stimulate balanced growth.”
Quoting the renowned Telugu poet and playwright Gurajada Apparao, Sitharaman emphasized that a nation’s true strength lies in its people, not just its land. With this philosophy at the core of her vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat,’ she outlined several priorities for the country, including:
- Eradicating poverty
- Ensuring 100% access to quality education for children
- Providing affordable and comprehensive healthcare
- Building a skilled workforce with meaningful employment opportunities
- Increasing women’s participation in the economy to 70%
- Strengthening India’s agricultural sector to make it the “food basket of the world”
The budget sets a clear path for India’s growth, focusing on empowering the economy, driving industrial progress, and improving the well-being of society. With a solid foundation and ambitious goals, the government is committed to steering the nation toward a prosperous future.