Finance Minister

FPIs were net sellers of securities worth a record ₹1.8 trillion in FY26, the highest in 34 years and up from ₹1.3 trillion in FY25. The highest outflows were seen in March 2026 at around ₹1.18 trillion.

Minister Sitharaman directed Indian banks to bolster cybersecurity frameworks and reporting protocols to counter AI-driven threats. The high-level mandate emphasizes real-time intelligence sharing and the engagement of specialist agencies to safeguard the national financial ecosystem.

The government is working with the guidance to prevent the current West Asian conflict from becoming a burden on its citizens, finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman said on Friday.

Some opposition members opposed the bill, alleging that it sought to dilute provisions related to companies setting aside 2% of their profit towards corporate social responsibility, which the finance minister refuted.

Nirmala Sitharaman began her Budget 2026 speech at sharp 11 am and continued until 12:26 pm. The Finance Bill was formally tabled in Parliament after the finance minister ended her speech.

The government proposed to raise the STT by more than 50% on futures to 0.05% from 0.02% and to 0.15% from 0.01% on options, raising concerns of a reduction in volumes.

FM Sitharaman also announced that the government will support five university townships in the vicinity of major industrial logistics centres.

Nirmala Sitharaman said the government had rolled out more than 350 reform measures, and that it was working with states to reduce compliance requirements.

Railway stocks rose on February 1 after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced seven new high-speed rail corridors in the Budget 2026, linking major metros and economic hubs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on 1 February 2026, focusing on reforms to enhance India's economic growth amid geopolitical uncertainties.