Union Budget 2026 Expectations LIVE: What Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman May Announce on Income Tax and Home Loans

Santosh Agarwal, CFO & Executive Director, Alpha Corp Development Limited, said, "Ahead of Budget 2026, we anticipate measures that will reinforce consumption-led growth, boost investor confidence, and enhance access to financing across both residential and commercial real estate. The sector looks forward to initiatives that accelerate infrastructure development, streamline approvals, and support timely project execution, particularly in emerging urban markets. Moreover, a strong emphasis on demand-side growth, coupled with continued investment in urban infrastructure, will be critical to sustaining market momentum and enabling long-term development. By facilitating efficient financing, robust infrastructure, and streamlined processes, Budget 2026 can significantly enhance project execution, attract greater investment, and foster the development of modern, sustainable urban environments across India.”

Dheeraj Keshav, Director, Arna Dairy, said; “India’s dairy sector needs stronger policy support to truly unlock its potential. In the upcoming Budget, we hope to see increased allocations for farmer infrastructure, cold-chain development, and access to affordable credit. Strengthening rural supply chains will not only improve milk quality and reduce wastage, but also ensure stable incomes for farmers making dairy a key pillar in India’s food security and rural growth story.”

Retail investors in India are looking to Budget 2026 to create a more supportive environment for long-term wealth creation. Key expectations include rationalising mutual fund taxation to ensure parity across equity, equity-oriented, and debt funds, incentivising SIPs and retirement-linked mutual funds with tax benefits, and providing personal tax relief along with clarity on tax regimes. Additionally, extending favourable tax treatment to long-term and pension-oriented mutual fund investments would reward patient capital and encourage disciplined, lifelong investing, helping individuals plan their finances with confidence.

Jeevan Kasara,Chairman, Steris Healthcare said, “The healthcare MSMEs are looking for Budget 2026 to be a driving force for Atmanirbhar innovation in the face of growing demand. The government should improve the PLI program for medical devices with a budget of Rs 5,000 crores and eliminate the customs duties on over 50 categories of APIs that are critical for life-saving.”

He added that expanding the Ayushman Bharat scheme with disability coverage and employer-provided health insurance for gig workers and MSME employees would make it more inclusive. Besides this, a Health Shield program for sizeable micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that would supply insurance against climate risks along with funding for good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant plants will protect 38 million registered units.

Karthik Narayan, Vice President – Title, Tax & Transition, Stellar Innovations said, "From the viewpoint of tax administration and transition, Budget 2026 presents the right opportunity to bring about changes that truly reflect simplicity and predictability in India’s dual tax regime. At present, a clear majority of taxpayers are opting for the new tax regime; therefore, the next logical step would be to make tax slabs inflation-linked, pilot-test Section 87A rebate thresholds, and remove ambiguities that distress small taxpayers."

He added that any changes to the old tax regime should be introduced gradually rather than being abruptly phased out, in line with India’s savings-oriented culture, where Section 80C–linked products continue to shape long-term financial goals. A unified approach to the taxation of capital gains and dividends incorporating improved indexation benefits and realistic exemptions for genuine retail investors could be key to enhancing financialisation, while not compromising on revenue or compliance quality.

Rakshith Rangarajan, Equity Fund Manager, Inviga Investment Advisors Private Limited said, "The Budget 2026 needs to address not only infrastructure and financing, but also the human capital that runs the healthcare system, students, healthcare workers, and beneficiaries. It is reasonable to expect Budget 2026 to sustain and strengthen flagship programmes such as Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Health and Wellness Centre initiative, while introducing targeted measures for workforce and talent development."

He added that equally critical is strengthening public academic and tertiary-care institutions to improve working conditions and career pathways for healthcare professionals. Budget 2026 could operationalise a National Healthcare Faculty and Skills Mission with a ring-fenced allocation to: (i) fill sanctioned but vacant faculty posts in government medical, nursing, and allied health institutions; and (ii) establish high-fidelity simulation and skills laboratories in a defined cohort of medical, nursing, and paramedical colleges.

Vikas Gupta, Country Manager - India, Bybit said, "Budget 2026 presents a pivotal opportunity for India to clearly signal its ambition of becoming a future-ready digital economy by aligning regulation with innovation-led growth. Rationalising the existing 30 per cent tax on virtual digital assets and revisiting the 1 per cent TDS by reducing it to a more practical level such as 0.1 per cent would help bring users back into the regulated domestic ecosystem, improve compliance and support stronger market liquidity. As global markets increasingly adopt differentiated and pragmatic approaches to crypto taxation, it is important for India to remain competitive and innovation-friendly."

“The Union Budget 2026 has an opportunity to drive large-scale adoption of sustainable and energy-efficient housing in India. With buildings consuming nearly 40 per cent of the country’s total energy and residential homes accounting for over 24 per cent of electricity usage, policy support for energy-efficient construction is critical. Measures such as GST rationalisation on sustainable materials, incentives for certified green products, and better access to green home financing can help make eco-friendly homes more affordable,” says Manish Bansal, Director, Window Magic.

Robin Mangla, President, M3M India, said: "India enters the next phase of economic growth, and investors weigh multiple alternative asset classes amid global and domestic volatility, real estate continues to stand out as one of the safest and most resilient long-term investment options. Its tangible nature, ability to preserve capital, and consistent end-user demand have reinforced its position as a preferred asset for long-term wealth creation. The Union Budget therefore has a timely opportunity to further strengthen real estate’s role not only as an investment avenue, but also as a critical enabler of urban transformation."

He added that a continued push on large-scale infrastructure creation, urban regeneration, and planned city development will be essential to attract long-term domestic and global investment. With the right policy signals, real estate can play a far larger role in employment generation, formalisation of the sector, and the creation of globally competitive urban centres in the coming fiscal year.

Vinayak Magotra - Product Head & Founding Team, Centricity WealthTech said, “Markets are watching for the FY 2026-2027 Budget to address select capital market frictions, including rationalisation of the Securities Transaction Tax, reforms to buyback taxation, parity in short-term dividend tax rates for domestic investors and NRIs, and the reconsideration of indexation benefits for debt mutual funds. For domestic retail investors, confidence that the rules won’t keep changing, coupled with incentives for long-term investment, would be the biggest sentiment boost. Investors also expect the Budget to support a credible fiscal consolidation path, productive infrastructure spending, and make existing policies more effective, especially in manufacturing, export-linked sectors, and banking. A focus on policy continuity, execution, and long-term competitiveness, rather than short-term stimulus, will meaningfully strengthen confidence across sectors.”

Salaried taxpayers are hoping for higher exemption limits, rationalised tax slabs, and a more attractive New Tax Regime. They also seek faster TDS processing, timely refunds, relief for overseas income, and housing support through revised norms, loan relief, and GST rationalisation. Read More

The Union Budget 2026 will be presented at 11 AM on Sunday, February 1, 2026, before both Houses of Parliament. It will set the tone for financial growth and impact citizens across all tax brackets. People who wish to catch the live video coverage of the Union Budget 2026 can track from the Sansad TV channel on YouTube. Read More