New Delhi, February 02, 2026.
The Union Budget for 2026-27 has been presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today, marking her ninth consecutive Budget. The 83-minute Budget has been presented at a time when the Indian economy has displayed resilience in the face of global challenges such as trade disruptions and increased tariffs imposed by the US.
The markets are open today despite Budget Day being on a Sunday, with the NSE and BSE trading as usual. Investors have begun trading with tempered expectations, looking for stability and guidance in policy rather than fiscal giveaways. The key areas of focus are on capital expenditure budgets for FY27, income tax policies, export competitiveness, and the government’s strategy for foreign trade diversification.
As someone closely engaged with investors and India’s evolving financial landscape, I see Budget 2026 as a constructive and forward-looking roadmap that keeps the Government’s long-term growth agenda firmly on track,” said Nishant Kohli, the founder and CEO of NRI Nivesh.
Rather than focusing on headline tax rate changes, the Finance Bill prioritises simplification and improved compliance, strengthening overall investor confidence, he added.
Shekhar Bhandari, President – SME, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “ The Union Budget charts a growth-oriented path while staying anchored in fiscal discipline. With the fiscal deficit at 4.4% this year and projected at 4.3% next year, it provides stability as Bharat advances towards its 2047 vision.
The emphasis is on durable capacity building. The revival of 2,000 industry clusters and the ₹10,000 crore MSME Growth Fund reaffirm the central role of SMEs and manufacturing in long-term growth.
A clear shift is the focus on building “Champion MSMEs” through a three-pronged approach—equity support, liquidity support via TReDS, and professional support through Corporate Mitras, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III towns.”
Mr. Arjun Nair, Co-founder, Great Learning said ‘The Indian Union Budget 2026–27 is a decisive step in repositioning education as a core economic and workforce engine for India. It is encouraging to see a clear emphasis on employability, AI integration, and industry-aligned skills reflects a strong understanding of how talent and careers are evolving. According to me, linking education more directly with jobs, entrepreneurship, and services-led growth is the right direction. The push to embed AI across learning, expand higher-education capacity around industrial corridors, and encourage modular, industry-designed programmes will meaningfully strengthen India’s talent pipeline.
For the edtech sector, this creates a strong opportunity to move beyond content and play a deeper role in shaping learning outcomes. AI, industry partnerships, and closer collaboration with institutions will be key for edtechs to deliver more relevant, job-ready learning at scale.
