Budget 2026: Market's Wishlist for Fiscal Prudence, Manufacturing, and Capex Push

• Markets seek a Budget that balances macro stability with accelerated private capex and productivity-led growth, emphasizing fiscal prudence.
• Continued fiscal discipline, with a targeted 4.4% deficit for FY26, is crucial for bond markets and private credit growth.
• Support for manufacturing through logistics, industrial clusters, and trade facilitation is vital for job-rich growth and achieving 'Viksit Bharat'.
• Reviving FDI/FPI with stable rules, faster approvals, and predictable taxation is essential to meet India's 'humongous' capital needs for 2047.
• Strategic divestments and a focus on business growth metrics, rather than just tax growth, can unlock resources and improve economic outcomes.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 should prioritize fiscal prudence, manufacturing support, FDI/FPI revival, and strategic divestments for sustained growth.