Shark Tank India's Ashneer Grover slams Union Budget 2026 as ‘time waste'

Ashneer Grover's blunt assessment appeared to strike a chord with users online.

Entrepreneur and former Shark Tank India judge Ashneer Grover minced no words in his reaction to the Union Budget 2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday. Taking to X, Grover likened the Budget to a pitch he once dismissed on the popular business reality show.

"This budget reminded of my rebuke on Shark Tank to one of the pitchers: Bilkul time waste kiya aapne - apna bhi aur humara bhi (You wasted time. Both yours and mine)!”

His rebuke appeared to capture the frustration of many who felt the Budget failed to deliver on expectations, particularly around tax relief for individual income earners.

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— Shubham Gurule (@shubham_gurule) February 1, 2026

Market reaction mirrors sentiment

Grover’s post coincided with a sharp downturn in equity markets. The Sensex and Nifty, which had surged ahead of the Budget speech, reversed course dramatically by midday.

The Sensex climbed to an intra-day high of 82,726.65, rising 457 points or 0.55 percent, while the broader Nifty moved up to 25,440.90, gaining 120.25 points or 0.47 percent. But by 12.30 pm, profit booking emerged, pulling the benchmarks off their highs. The Sensex slipped to 80,931.41, down 1,338.37 points or 1.63 percent, while the Nifty declined to 24,826.25, down 494.40 points or 1.95 percent.

Investors booked profits at higher levels, reflecting volatility and disappointment with the announcements.

Public reactions on X

Grover’s blunt assessment struck a chord with users online. One user wrote: “Agree with you. Total time waste budget.” Another commented: "At least Shark Tank pitches end in 10 minutes.

This one cost us a year." A third X user pointed to the market slide as proof of the Budget’s lack of substance, noting how indices “are down after Budget speech.”

Budget highlights

Sitharaman, presenting her ninth consecutive Budget, framed it around three “kartavyas” — faster growth, inclusive development, and structural reforms. She emphasised the government’s “sankalp” to prioritise the poor and underprivileged.