Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today, marking her ninth consecutive budget speech, in addition to one interim budget. In her speech, she made a slew of announcements on a range of sectors, including agriculture, finance, health, employment, industry and tourism. (Also read: Budget 2026 highlights: Nirmala Sitharaman proposes 3 new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to meet growing global demand)
The following are the key numbers and highlights of the Union Budget 2026-27 to take into account:
- Proposal to introduce a dedicated ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, to create future Champions, incentivizing enterprises based on select criteria.
- Proposal to top up the Self-Reliant India Fund set up in 2021, with ₹2,000 crore to continue support to micro enterprises and maintain their access to risk capital.
- To launch a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme for incentivising a modal shift from rail and road, to increase the share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from 6 % to 12 % by 2047.
- An allocation of ₹ 5000 crore per CER over 5 years is proposed for implementing modern infrastructure and basic amenities in tier-1 and tier-2 cities.
- Proposal to set up a High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee to recommend measures that focus on the Services Sector as a core driver of Viksit Bharat.
- A strong Care Ecosystem, covering geriatric and allied care services will be built. In the coming year, 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained.
- Proposal to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges.
- Through VGF/capital support, 1 girls’ hostel will be established in every district.
- Proposal pilot scheme for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 iconic tourist sites through a standardized, high-quality 12-week training course in hybrid mode.
- Proposal to develop 15 archeological sites including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations.
- Proposal for the development of an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur, creation of 5 tourism destinations in the 5 Purvodaya States, and the provision of 4,000 e-buses.
- As recommended by the Commission, the FM provided ₹1.4 lakh crore to the States for the FY 2026-27 as Finance Commission Grants. These include Rural and Urban Local Body and Disaster Management Grants.
- Proposal to reduce TCS rate on the sale of overseas tour program package from the current 5 percent and 20 percent to 2 percent without any stipulation of amount.
- Supply of manpower services is proposed to be specifically brought within the ambit of payment to contractors for the purpose of TDS to avoid ambiguity. Thus, TDS on these services will be at the rate of either 1 percent or 2 percent only.
- The threshold for availing safe harbour for IT services is being enhanced substantially from 300 crore rupees to 2,000 crore rupees.
- Proposal to provide a safe harbour of 15 percent on cost in case the company providing data centre services from India is a related entity.
- Proposal to provide exemption from Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) to all non-residents who pay tax on presumptive basis.
- TCS rate for sellers of specific goods namely alcoholic liquor, scrap and minerals will be rationalized to 2 percent and that on tendu leaves will be reduced from 5 percent to 2 percent.
- Proposal to raise the STT on Futures to 0.05 percent from present 0.02 percent.
- Proposal to reduce the tariff rate on all dutiable goods imported for personal use from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.