Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth straight Budget delivers a bold roadmap for growth amid global headwinds, prioritizing electronics/semiconductors (₹40,000 crore outlay), rare earths, chemicals, textiles (integrated jobs package), and capital goods to cut imports and fortify supply chains.
Infrastructure Surge
Higher capex, risk guarantee funds for private projects, new freight corridors, and waterways sustain momentum; Tier-II/III cities get City Economic Regions with reform funding.
Jobs and Skills Focus
Services as employment engine via Education-to-Employment Committee, AVGC labs for content creators, animation/gaming support, tourism skilling, and AI integration across agriculture, education, governance.
Fiscal Prudence, Tax Overhaul
Targets 4.3% fiscal deficit (down from 4.4%); launches simpler Income Tax Act 2025 from April 1—extended return revisions to March 31, staggered ITRs, easier Form 15G/H. Customs cuts favor local mfg (exemptions for lithium batteries, critical minerals, cancer drugs), drops personal import duty to 10%, streamlines MSME/exporter compliance.
