New Delhi, Feb. 2 -- Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has presented a strong Union budget for 2025-26. It comes at a time of high uncertainty linked to global events, slowing domestic demand and a challenging fiscal outlook. Not only does it recognize the challenges, but also lays a roadmap for strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth needed to become a developed economy.

A strategic focus on four key drivers- agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment and exports-rightly identifies the policies that will best boost growth, and significant measures have been unveiled to ensure that these are accelerated effectively. Further, there has been a strong emphasis on knowledge, innovation and meeting requir...