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Budget Express 2026

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Fiscal Deficit

Fiscal deficit is the shortfall in a government's income compared with its spending. It is calculated as a percentage of the gross domestic product, or the total spent in excess of the income. More

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  • Private sector responding to govt's capex push in electronics, autos, cement, steel, says DEA secretary Thakur

    Private sector responding to govt's capex push in electronics, autos, cement, steel, says DEA secretary Thakur

    The government is confident of meeting its capital expenditure target for FY27, supported by diversification across sectors and higher infrastructure loans to states, Anuradha Thakur tells Moneycontrol

  • Growth guides consolidation pace; comfortable with 4.3% fiscal deficit target for FY27, says FM Sitharaman

    Growth guides consolidation pace; comfortable with 4.3% fiscal deficit target for FY27, says FM Sitharaman

    The fiscal deficit target for FY27 is just 10 percentage points lower than the aim for the current financial year.

  • Was the STT hike necessary from the fiscal perspective?

    Was the STT hike necessary from the fiscal perspective?

    To discipline excessive speculation by retail investors, the finance minister could have chosen a non-fiscal path

  • Budget 2026 focuses on long term growth but falls short on reviving private sector investment: Experts

    Budget 2026 focuses on long term growth but falls short on reviving private sector investment: Experts

    Economists say that the budget clearly resisted any temptation to push growth higher this fiscal, or even fight the global situation.

  • Centre pegs FY27 fiscal deficit at 4.3% of GDP

    Centre pegs FY27 fiscal deficit at 4.3% of GDP

    The fiscal deficit in FY25 stood at 4.8 percent of GDP, which was 80 bps lower than 5.6 percent in FY24.

  • April-December fiscal deficit at 54.5% of FY26 target

    April-December fiscal deficit at 54.5% of FY26 target

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

  • Centre on course to meet 4.4% FY26 fiscal deficit target, says Economic Survey

    Centre on course to meet 4.4% FY26 fiscal deficit target, says Economic Survey

    Conservative fiscal management, higher quality spending and capital expenditure focus strengthened credibility, contributing to sovereign rating upgrades, the survey has said

  • MC-Deloitte CXO survey: Geopolitics, trade uncertainty, US trade deal delay key global, domestic risks

    MC-Deloitte CXO survey: Geopolitics, trade uncertainty, US trade deal delay key global, domestic risks

    The CXO survey was conducted by Moneycontrol and Deloitte between December 2025 and January 2026. The survey includes CXOs from across industries, such as, banking and insurance; manufacturing; transport and logistics; energy; life sciences and health; telecom and tech; e-commerce.

  • Economists see fiscal consolidation on track as deficit expected at 4.2%, debt at 55.2% in FY27: MC Poll

    Economists see fiscal consolidation on track as deficit expected at 4.2%, debt at 55.2% in FY27: MC Poll

    Pre-Budget survey of 20 economists shows confidence in debt stabilisation even as borrowing remains elevated

  • OPINION | The scale of borrowing expected in the Budget may keep yields sticky

    OPINION | The scale of borrowing expected in the Budget may keep yields sticky

    The Budget will herald a shift to a new fiscal anchor, the debt-to-GDP ratio. Given the indicative glide path to lower the ratio, interest rates are unlikely to decline sharply 

  • Govt to stick to 4.4% fiscal deficit aim in FY26 but will need to 'manage' expenditure

    Govt to stick to 4.4% fiscal deficit aim in FY26 but will need to 'manage' expenditure

    Economists say Centre will have to cut down on revenue and capital expenditure to achieve 4.4% of fiscal deficit target, as they see a sharp shortfall in tax revenues – more than Rs 1 lakh crore in FY26.

  • Budget Snapshot | The Indian State vs The ASEAN model: A fiscal disconnect

    Budget Snapshot | The Indian State vs The ASEAN model: A fiscal disconnect

    IMF projections reveal India’s government spends and borrows at a scale closer to the U.S. and China than to its regional peers, creating a unique growth-versus-sustainability dilemma for policymakers

  • Budget Snapshot | The fiscal tightrope

    Budget Snapshot | The fiscal tightrope

    IMF estimates central government's upcoming Budget may not further lower fiscal deficit figure as revenue dips and interest costs rise

  • Budget Snapshot: Nominal GDP growth deceleration complicates fiscal maths

    Budget Snapshot: Nominal GDP growth deceleration complicates fiscal maths

    The fiscal maths of the Budget is under threat as nominal GDP growth decelerates

  • Fiscal deficit higher at 62% between April-November as capex push outpaces tax inflows

    Fiscal deficit higher at 62% between April-November as capex push outpaces tax inflows

    Centre exhausts over 62% of annual deficit target by November amid slower tax collections

  • Rupee’s slide to have only marginal impact on inflation; govt could better fiscal deficit target in FY26: PwC’s Banerjee

    Rupee’s slide to have only marginal impact on inflation; govt could better fiscal deficit target in FY26: PwC’s Banerjee

    PwC’s Ranen Banerjee says India’s evolving import mix limits pass-through even as the currency briefly breaches 90 per dollar

  • Fiscal deficit at 52.6% of FY26 target in April-October

    Fiscal deficit at 52.6% of FY26 target in April-October

    Capital spending remained on track with the government having spent 55.1 percent of the full year target of Rs 11.2 lakh crore compared with 42 percent for April-October 2024.

  • IMF sees India’s fiscal deficit stalling after FY26

    IMF sees India’s fiscal deficit stalling after FY26

    According to the IMF’s Fiscal Monitor, India’s fiscal consolidation is set to lose momentum after FY26, signalling deep-rooted structural limits in its public finances

  • India's April-September fiscal deficit at 36.5% of FY26 target

    India's April-September fiscal deficit at 36.5% of FY26 target

    The government has exhausted 51.8 percent of the full-year capex target of Rs 11.2 lakh crore

  • Fiscal deficit widens at 38.1% of FY26 target during first five months

    Fiscal deficit widens at 38.1% of FY26 target during first five months

    The Rs 2.7 lakh crore dividend transfer from the Reserve Bank of India has helped provide some cushion, but international agencies are expecting a slippage in this year's fiscal deficit.

  • Chart of the Day | How lower indirect taxes could ease pressure on inflation

    Chart of the Day | How lower indirect taxes could ease pressure on inflation

    With recent GST reforms easing inflationary pressures and fiscal deficit projections intact, Mint Road gains more policy space while staying firmly data dependent.

  • GST reform to stimulate consumption but may reduce government's revenue: Moody's

    GST reform to stimulate consumption but may reduce government's revenue: Moody's

    The note said that the Centre may slow down some of the government spending over the next two quarters, which may preserve the trend of fiscal consolidation. Aside of that, the GST reform may also impact the government's efforts to reduce debt.

  • Fiscal deficit higher at 29.9% of FY26 target during first four months of the year

    Fiscal deficit higher at 29.9% of FY26 target during first four months of the year

    The rise in fiscal deficit follows an increase in capital spending since the start of the year by the central government.

  • 16th Finance Commission may ask states to opt for more revenue mobilising steps amid slowdown

    16th Finance Commission may ask states to opt for more revenue mobilising steps amid slowdown

    The commission is expected to come out with a report by October 31, covering a period of five years from April 2026.

  • Fiscal deficit for June quarter at 17.9% of full-year target, a quarter of annual capex spent

    Fiscal deficit for June quarter at 17.9% of full-year target, a quarter of annual capex spent

    A higher-than-expected RBI dividend played a key role in containing the impact of increased capital expenditure during the quarter.

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