New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth Union Budget on 1 February 2026. Over the past five years, she has reshaped India's tax landscape by making the new regime the default, raising effective tax-free thresholds, overhauling capital gains rules, and introducing crypto taxation.

For the salaried class, the biggest anticipation around Budget Day remains one key announcement - changes to income tax.

During her tenure, Sitharaman introduced various tax reforms, including exemptions for lower-income brackets and revisions to capital gains tax. Budget 2023 made the new tax regime the default to simplify the filing process for taxpayers.

Ahead of Budget 2026, here's a look at key reforms of the past ...