In an interview to Mint and HT, FM Nirmala Sitharaman explained the philosophy behind the new Income Tax bill, what the government is doing to ensure regulators don’t operate in silos, how the government is trying to diversify export markets and the plan to reach 8% GDP growth.

We have heard the voice of middle class who had been complaining about their aspirations not being met despite being honest taxpayers', Sitharaman said

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2025-26, marking her shortest full budget speech at 1 hour and 14 minutes. Notable past achievements include delivering the longest budget speech in 2020 and presenting India's first paperless budget in 2021.

In her eighth budget, Nirmala Sitharaman strikes a delicate balance between stimulating growth and staying true to fiscal consolidation, aiming for a sustainable economic future amid global uncertainty.

Some measures announced in the Budget 2025 such as support for MSMEs and agriculture may help banks improve credit and deposit growth but these are high-risk segments

The budget does not offer a realistic road map to resolve the critical problems of unemployment, poor pay packages and underskilling.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made history on Saturday by presenting her eighth consecutive budget with a 74-minute-long speech. This achievement brings her closer to the record held by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented 10 budgets during his tenure, six between 1959 and 1964 and four from 1967 to 1969.

The Union Budget balances tax relief, fiscal discipline, and capex allocation, creating new growth opportunities, particularly in consumption stocks. Brokerages highlight a shift towards immediate economic gains,

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the the tax proposal will allow people to have more money in their hands.