Business
CII Lays Out Investment Roadmap For Budget 2026-27
India’s next phase of economic growth will depend on steady and strong investment across public, private, and foreign channels, according to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). CII, in a release, laid out a detailed plan for the Union Budget 2026-27, saying that the Budget needs to act as both a stabiliser and a growth driver.
CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said the coming Budget must focus on boosting investments to keep India’s growth steady. He explained that public spending has pushed the country’s recovery after the pandemic, and that continued support in this area will help India stay on track as one of the fastest-growing major economies.
CII has suggested raising central capital expenditure by 12 per cent and increasing support to states by 10 per cent in FY27. These funds, it said, should go mainly to areas where spending creates the highest impact, such as transport, energy, logistics, and the green transition. CII also recommended creating a Capital Expenditure Efficiency Framework to help select and track important projects and measure their outcomes more clearly. Along with this, it proposed launching a new Rs 150 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline for 2026-32 to give long-term clarity to investors and states.
The release also noted that India needs a more flexible fiscal policy. CII suggested shifting from strict annual deficit rules to a debt framework that adjusts with economic cycles. This, it said, would help the government respond better during shocks without losing long-term stability.
On private investment, CII highlighted that India now needs strong momentum from businesses to support growth. “The Government of India has provided a big demand push via income tax relief in last year’s Union Budget and recently via GST 2.0. Investments, especially private sector investment, will be the next big driver for economic growth that needs to be focused on in the next fiscal to continue the growth momentum,” Banerjee said.
CII recommended tax credits or easier compliance for companies that increase investments or production, along with returning accelerated depreciation to help firms, especially MSMEs, modernise.
To attract long-term global capital, CII proposed creating an NRI Investment Promotion Fund with partial government holding. This fund would help channel NRI and foreign institutional money into areas like infrastructure and AI. It also suggested strengthening the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund through a new Sovereign Investment Strategy Council to guide investments.
CII further called for simpler external borrowing rules and a single-window system for large foreign investment proposals to reduce delays and increase certainty. It also suggested forming an India Global Economic Forum to allow structured discussions between global investors and government leaders.
“An investment-driven growth strategy, anchored in fiscal credibility and institutional reforms, will define India’s next development phase,” Banerjee said.
New Delhi: The Cabinet on Sunday approved the Union Budget 2026-27 during a meeting in Parliament chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A meeting of the Union Cabinet was held at Sansad Bhawan at 10 a.m., and after the Cabinet’s approval, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proceeded to Parliament to present the Budget.
Earlier, FM Sitharaman met President Droupadi Murmu and offered her a copy of the digital budget. The President also offered ‘dahi-cheeni’ (curd and sugar) to Sitharaman when she arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Finance Minister was seen carrying her trademark ‘bahi-khata’, a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth bearing a golden-coloured national emblem on it.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V. Anantha Nageswaran, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Ravi Agrawal and other officials were seen accompanying the Finance Minister. Sitharaman was set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. In 2021, she switched to using a digital tablet to carry the Budget papers, further promoting a modern and eco-friendly approach.
The ‘bahi-khata’ is a red pouch that holds the digital tablet containing the Budget documents. This year, Sitharaman opted for a deep maroon Kanjeevaram saree from Tamil Nadu. The saree featured a deep maroon base with a contrasting border and subtle gold detailing, paired with a yellow blouse.
The Budget is likely to strike a deft balance of sustaining growth momentum and maintaining fiscal consolidation. It also needs to address near-term challenges emanating from unprecedented geopolitical flux, said economists. According to economists, the budget is likely to focus more on capital expenditure, especially in sectors deemed to be strategically important owing to prevailing geopolitical compulsions.
While the FY26 Budget was more tilted towards stimulating middle-class consumption with tax reliefs, the FY27 Budget’s approach to stimulating consumption will be selective, they added.
Business
Education Budget 2026 Live Updates: What Will The Education Sector Get From FM Nirmala Sitharaman?
Union Education Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026–27 on February 1, with a strong focus expected on the Education Budget 2026, a key area of interest for students, teachers, and institutions across the country.
In the previous budget, the Bharatiya Janata Party government announced plans to add 75,000 medical seats over five years and strengthen infrastructure at IITs established after 2014. For 2025, the Centre had earmarked Rs 1,28,650.05 crore for education, a 6.65 percent rise compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, the Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled in the Parliament of India, points to persistent challenges in school education. While enrolment at the school level is close to universal, this has not translated into consistent learning outcomes, especially beyond elementary classes. The net enrolment rate drops sharply at the secondary level, standing at just over 52 per cent.
The survey also flags concerns over student retention after Class 8, particularly in rural areas. It notes an uneven spread of schools, with a majority offering only foundational and preparatory education, while far fewer institutions provide secondary-level schooling. This gap, the survey suggests, is a key reason behind low enrolment in higher classes.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for all the latest updates on the Education Budget 2026 LIVE.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has increased the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). According to a notification, the price of LPG has risen by Rs6.37 per kilogram. Following the increase, the price of a domestic LPG cylinder has gone up by Rs75.21. The revised prices have come into effect immediately.
The rise in LPG prices has added to the inflationary burden on household consumers.
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