New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2026, unveiled a wide-ranging roadmap focused on infrastructure acceleration, services-sector dominance, healthcare expansion, technology leadership, and inclusive growth. The Budget places strong emphasis on urban financing, high-speed connectivity, global health ambitions, women empowerment, and job creation, while also opening new doors for foreign and NRI investors.
Big Infrastructure & Connectivity Announcements
One of the standout highlights of Budget 2026 is the announcement of seven High-Speed Rail Corridors, aimed at boosting inter-city mobility and economic integration. The proposed routes include:
- Mumbai–Pune
- Pune–Hyderabad
- Hyderabad–Bengaluru
- Hyderabad–Chennai
- Chennai–Bengaluru
- Bengaluru–Varanasi
- Varanasi–Siliguri
In addition, poll-bound states Tamil Nadu and Kerala received a strategic push with the announcement of rare earth mineral corridors, signalling India’s intent to strengthen supply chains critical for clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Municipal Bonds Get Historic Push
Urban development took centre stage as the Finance Minister announced ₹1 billion (around ₹8,300 crore) incentives for municipal bonds in 2026, along with an additional ₹100 crore incentive support. The move is expected to strengthen city-level infrastructure financing, improve transparency, and reduce dependency on state and central grants.
NRI & Foreign Investment Liberalisation
In a major reform step, the government proposed direct access for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to invest in listed Indian equities, signalling confidence in India’s capital markets and aiming to attract long-term global funds.
Services Sector & Employment Vision
Declaring the services sector as a key growth engine, the Finance Minister set an ambitious target of capturing 10% of the global services market by 2047. A high-powered Education-to-Employment Committee will be formed to align skills with industry needs.
A ₹10,000-crore SME Growth Fund was also proposed to support small and medium enterprises.
Healthcare, Global Health & Hospital Expansion
Healthcare emerged as a major focus area. The Budget announced:
- Five Regional Medical Hubs in partnership with the private sector
- Upgradation of existing allied health professional institutions
- Creation of a strong care ecosystem covering geriatric and allied services
- Training of 1.5 lakh caregivers in the coming year
- Establishment of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda
These measures boosted sentiment around hospital and healthcare stocks, reflecting strong policy support.
Poverty Exit & Technology Push
The Finance Minister highlighted that 25 crore people have exited multidimensional poverty in the last decade. On the technology front, the government reiterated its commitment to AI, quantum computing, and emerging technologies through initiatives like the National Quantum Mission.
Education, Women & Social Infrastructure
Key social sector announcements include:
- One girls’ hostel in every district
- Five University Townships along major industrial and logistics corridors
- Establishment of a new National Institute of Design
- Support for the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai
Tourism, Textiles & Veterinary Support
To boost employment and rural economy, the Budget proposed:
- Training programmes for tourist guides
- A textile expansion and employment scheme to modernise clusters
- Loan-linked capital subsidy support for veterinary hospitals and colleges
Digital & Procurement Reforms
The Finance Minister also announced plans to link GeM with TReDS platforms, improving information sharing and easing working capital access for MSMEs.
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