India, Feb. 2 -- The Union Budget 2025-26 emphasised climate resilience and agriculture as key priorities.

However, a year later, implementation remains slow and fragmented, with a focus on infrastructure over climate adaptation and rural livelihoods.

The gap between promises and delivery highlights the need for governance to shift from process to performance.

In Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's presentation for Budget 2025-26, climate resilience and agriculture were placed at the heart of India's development narrative. "Our focus," she said, "is on building prosperity that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient," signalling that farms, rural livelihoods and clean energy would anchor India's response to climate risk.

One y...