Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is “historic”, calling it “a highway of immense opportunities” that will give new speed to the ” Reform Express” India is riding.
“This Budget realises the dreams of the present and strengthens the foundation of India’s bright future. This budget is a strong base for our high flight towards a Developed India of 2047,” the Prime Minister said in his address after the budget presentation.
He said the budget reflects the vision of trust-based governance and a human-centric economy. “This is such a unique budget in which there is a focus on reducing the fiscal deficit and controlling inflation, and along with this, there is coordination of high capex and high growth,” he said.
The Prime Minister underscored significant measures aimed at boosting tourism, particularly in the Northeast, and said the budget lays the foundation for balanced and equitable development.
As India targets becoming a $5 trillion economy, Modi said the budget re-empowers the country’s global role and reflects the people’s aspiration to become the world’s third-largest economy at the earliest. “This is the resolve of crores of countrymen. India’s role as a ‘trusted democratic partner’ and ‘trusted quality supplier’ of the world is continuously increasing. The maximum benefit of the big trade deals that India has done recently – “the mother of all deals” – should go to the youth of India and to India’s small and medium industries,” he said.
He credited the budget with providing an ambitious roadmap for flagship initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’, and said major steps have been taken to strengthen infrastructure through dedicated freight corridors, expansion of waterways, high-speed rail corridors, and development of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to accelerate the journey towards a developed India.
“The biggest capital of any country is its citizens. In the past years, our government has made unprecedented investments in enhancing the potential of the people. Our effort has been to continuously strengthen skill, scale, and sustainability. As Nirmala Ji said in Parliament today, this is a Youth Power Budget. It contains the thinking of the youth, the dreams of the youth, the resolve of the youth, and also the speed of the youth,” Modi said.
He said the Union government has also focused on the youth through schemes such as Start-up India and the PM Mudra Yojana.
The Prime Minister said the provisions in the budget would help create leaders, innovators, and creators across sectors. “Through the creation of medical hubs, allied health professionals, promotion of the Orange Economy, encouragement of tourism, and through the Khelo India Mission, doors of new opportunities will open for the youth,” he said.
Highlighting measures for women, Modi said the budget prioritises self-help groups. “The effort is that Goddess Lakshmi arrives in every home. The campaign to build new hostels for female students in every district will also make education accessible,” he said.
Referring to allocations for agriculture, the dairy sector, and fisheries, the Prime Minister said several important steps have been taken for farmers growing coconut, cashew, cocoa, and sandalwood, and that the ‘Bharat Vistar AI’ tool would help farmers by providing information in their own language.
“This budget is ambitious, addresses the aspirations of the country, and ensures the welfare of villages, the poor, and farmers,” he said. Noting that Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive budget, Modi said it reflects the country’s Nari Shakti. “As a woman Finance Minister, Nirmala Ji has set a new record by presenting the country’s budget for the ninth consecutive time,” he said.