Hyderabad, Feb. 1 -- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, February 1, presented the Union Budget 2026-27, combining fiscal consolidation with targeted policy interventions across taxation, infrastructure, manufacturing and services. The following are five major policy moves announced in the Budget:

1. Fiscal consolidation path reaffirmed

The government reiterated its commitment to fiscal discipline, pegging the fiscal deficit at 4.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in FY27, lower than 4.4 per cent in FY26, Sitharaman said.

Total expenditure for FY27 has been set at Rs 53.5 lakh crore, while the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected at 55.6 per cent, signalling continued focus on debt consolidation.

The Budget also retai...