New Delhi, March 29 -- Tariffs are dominating India-US talks as the 2 April deadline for their implementation nears. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi has announced a massive rise in spending in the budget, while lawmakers have received a significant pay hike.

On Tuesday, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta tabled a bumper Rs.1 trillion expenditure plan in the state budget for 2025-26, a 44% jump from the revised estimates (RE) in 2024-25. Education received the largest allocation (19.3%), followed by transport (12.95%), health (12.89%), housing and urban development (10.7%) and social welfare (10.6%).

The budget surge is primarily driven by central fund inflows aimed at reviving infrastructure, addressing san...