April-December fiscal deficit at 54.5% of FY26 target

April-December fiscal deficit at 54.5% of FY26 target

India's fiscal deficit in April-December was Rs 8.6 lakh crore or 54.5% of the estimate for the financial year ending March 31, government data showed on January 30. It was 56.7% in the year-ago period.

The Centre estimates the fiscal deficit (the gap between expenditure and revenue) during 2025-26 at 4.4% of GDP, or Rs 15.69 lakh crore.

Net tax receipts at Rs 19.4 lakh crore, up from Rs 18.4 lakh crore collected in the same period a year ago.

Non-tax revenue at Rs 5.4 lakh crore compared with Rs 4.5 lakh crore a year ago.

According to data released by the Controller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the central government received about Rs 25.25 lakh crore, or 72.2% of the corresponding budget estimate for total receipts up to December 2025.

The total expenditure incurred by the Centre was Rs 33.8 lakh crore (66.7% of the corresponding budget estimate 2025-26), out of which Rs 25.93 lakh crore was on revenue account and Rs 7.87 lakh crore on capital account, till December.

Capital expenditure, or spending on building physical infrastructure, at Rs 7.9 lakh crore against Rs 6.9 lakh crore a year ago.