Budget 2026: Record 53.5 Lakh Crore Spending Despite No Major Announcements

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered a shorter budget speech with no major announcements for income tax, pensions, or new middle-class schemes.
• Despite the perceived lack of direct benefits, Budget 2026 proposes a record expenditure of 53.5 lakh crore rupees, the highest ever.
• This year's estimated expenditure is approximately 4 lakh crore rupees more than the revised expenditure of 49.6 lakh crore rupees from the previous year.
• The government expects to raise 36.5 lakh crore rupees without debt, with 28.7 lakh crore rupees from net tax collection.
• Fiscal deficit is projected at 4.3 percent of GDP for 2026-27, down from the revised 4.4 percent for 2025-26.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 sets a new record for government spending at 53.5 lakh crore despite minimal new direct benefits.