Budget 2026: In a first, Nirmala Sitharaman to spotlight Part B as reform roadmap
India Today
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's ninth Union Budget marks a strategic shift by emphasising Part B to outline India's economic vision and reform agenda.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget is set to break with long-standing convention, with Part B of her Budget speech emerging as the main platform for outlining India’s economic vision and reform agenda, according to government sources.
Traditionally, Budget speeches have devoted most of their narrative and strategic focus to Part A, which reviews the state of the economy and lays out broad policy direction. Part B, largely restricted to tax proposals and technical announcements, has usually remained brief. This year, however, Sitharaman is expected to speak at unusual length in Part B, placing strong emphasis on both immediate policy measures and long-term economic goals.
Officials said the expanded section will reflect India’s priorities as it moves deeper into the 21st century, offering a clearer roadmap for leveraging domestic strengths and positioning the economy more competitively on the global stage. The speech is expected to showcase India’s present capabilities and future potential in manufacturing, trade and exports, an approach that is likely to attract close attention from economists and policy experts in India and abroad.
The shift in emphasis is also expected to mirror the broader reform orientation of Budget 2026–27, which officials have internally described as “Reform Express”.
The Budget is likely to be anchored in cross-sector reforms aimed at simplifying regulations, improving competitiveness and strengthening domestic manufacturing. This approach gains added significance amid a global economic slowdown and renewed tariff pressures from the US.
Sources said the government sees the upcoming Budget as an opportunity to push structural changes that can support growth while insulating the economy from external shocks.
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