Business Finance

Budget 2026 Eases Customs on Cancer Drugs, Baggage

By BPN News Desk February 1, 2026

New Delhi: In the Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the government announced customs duty exemptions on 17 key cancer drugs and medicines to lower treatment costs for patients. The budget also extended duty-free imports to medicines and food for seven additional rare diseases. Personal Baggage Duty Reduced The tariff rate on […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Union Budget 2026-27 Analysis: Optics vs Economic Impact

By BPN News Desk February 1, 2026

Union Budget 2026–27 arrives at a moment when India’s macro numbers look stable but household stress is quietly building. Growth remains respectable, inflation is under control, and fiscal deficit targets are being met. On paper, this looks like success. But budgets are not written for spreadsheets alone. They are meant to shape economic behaviour, relieve […]

Economy National

Finance Minister to Use Part B to Outline Economic Vision

By BPN News Desk February 1, 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026–27 on February 1. According to officials familiar with the plan, the Finance Minister will use Part B of the Budget speech to outline India’s broader economic direction, marking a departure from past practice. Breaking From Past Convention Traditionally, Part A of the Budget […]

Economy National

Budget Session 2026: Parliament Day 2 Highlights

By BPN News Desk January 29, 2026

The second day of the Budget Session 2026 saw Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman table the Economic Survey 2025–26 in the Lok Sabha. The survey outlined the government’s assessment of the Indian economy, covering growth trends, fiscal position and key challenges ahead of the Union Budget. PM Modi Addresses Media Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the […]

Op-Eds Opinion

ISRO Is Paying the Price for Ambition Without Matching Budget Support

By BPN News Desk January 15, 2026

The recent launch failures involving India’s space programme have triggered predictable reactions. Some have rushed to question competence. Others have fallen back on emotional defences. Both miss the real issue. The problem facing Indian Space Research Organisation today is not a decline in scientific capability. It is a widening gap between political ambition and

Business Finance

Union Budget to Be Presented on February 1

By BPN News Desk January 10, 2026

The Union Government has finalised the schedule for the presentation of the Union Budget for the upcoming financial year. The Union Budget will be presented in Parliament on Sunday, February 1, while the Economic Survey will be tabled on January 29, setting the stage for detailed discussions on the state of the economy. The Budget […]

International

Trump Calls for Sharp Increase in US Military Spending

By BPN News Desk January 8, 2026

US President Donald Trump has called for a major increase in American military spending, proposing that the defence budget be raised to around $1.5 trillion. If implemented, this would represent an increase of more than 50 percent compared with current defence outlays, making it the largest military budget in US history. Speaking on the need […]

International

Japan Cabinet Clears Record Budget, Pledges Debt Control

By BPN News Desk December 26, 2025

Japan’s Cabinet has approved a record national budget of about 122.3 trillion yen, or roughly $785 billion, for the next fiscal year, marking the largest spending plan in the country’s history. The budget, which will be submitted to Parliament for approval, reflects the government’s attempt to support economic growth while maintaining discipline over public finances. […]

National

India Likely to Present Union Budget on a Sunday

By BPN News Desk December 20, 2025

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget for the 2026–27 financial year on Sunday, February 1, as the government considers sticking to the established budget calendar despite the date falling on a weekend. Since 2017, the Union Budget has been presented on February 1 to allow sufficient time for parliamentary approval […]

Defence National

Defence Ministry To Seek 20% Budget Hike

By BPN News Desk November 29, 2025

India’s Ministry of Defence is preparing to request up to a 20 percent hike in its budget for the 2026–27 financial year, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has confirmed. The proposal aims to accelerate military modernisation and address emerging strategic challenges. Current Spending Already On Upward Path For 2025–26, the government allocated ₹6.81 lakh crore […]