Overview
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the first formal session in New Delhi with leading economists, joined by the DEA secretary, CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran, and senior finance officials.
- The Finance Ministry signaled continued outreach to stakeholders, with more meetings planned before proposals for the Union Budget are finalized.
- PHDCCI and CII have urged measures such as faster dispute resolution, a simpler TDS regime, digitised customs, and steps to ease MSME liquidity.
- The ministry’s latest monthly review reported stronger Q2 FY26 momentum for India despite higher U.S. tariffs imposed in August.
- The Budget presentation is widely expected on February 1, 2026, though no official date has been announced.