Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, unseen, holds a digital tablet enclosed in a traditional ‘bahi-khata’ style pouch containing the paperless ‘Union Budget 2025-26’, outside the Finance Ministry, at North Block in New Delhi on February 1, 2025
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive Budget on Saturday (February 1, 2025).

Top business figures offer mixed views on the Union Budget, with industry leaders like Kumar Mangalam Birla and Arundhati Bhattacharya praising its focus on infrastructure, technology, and consumption while some experts express scepticism about its ability to boost private investment and address defence needs.

The budget’s emphasis on AI-driven modernisation, green mobility and workforce development are among the areas they highlight. The proposed income tax reforms and support for MSMEs have sparked discussion about their potential to stimulate domestic consumption, though questions remain about the budget’s adequacy in addressing broader economic and security challenges.