Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that India’s economic trajectory over the past 12 years has been marked by stability, fiscal discipline, sustained growth, and moderate inflation. Presenting her ninth consecutive budget, she attributed this performance to the conscious policy choices of the government.
Sitharaman stated that the Union Budget 2026 is guided by three Kartavyas. “The first one is to accelerate and sustain economic growth by enhancing competitiveness and building resilience to volatile global dynamics,” she said.
The second Kartavya is to fulfil the aspirations of people and build their capacity and make them strong partners in India's path to prosperity, while the third kartavya is to ensure 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas.'
“It is to ensure that every family, community, region has access to resources, amenities opportunities for meaningful participation,” the finance minister said.
Emphasising Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) as a guiding principle, Sitharaman noted that the government has expanded domestic manufacturing, strengthened energy security, and reduced critical import dependencies.
“At the same time, we have ensured that citizens benefit from every government action, undertaking reforms to boost employment, enhance agricultural productivity, increase household purchasing power, and expand access to universal services,” she said.
These measures, she added, have sustained a high growth rate of around 7 percent and contributed to significant poverty reduction and improvements in the quality of life for India’s citizens.
Sitharaman also highlighted the government’s pursuit of far-reaching structural reforms. “We have maintained fiscal prudence and monetary stability while keeping a strong focus on public investment, with self-reliance as a cornerstone. This has allowed us to build domestic manufacturing capacity, ensure energy security, and reduce critical import dependencies,” she said.