Sitharaman continues with the tradition she set in 2019, carrying the budget speech in a 'bahi-khata', which she used after dropping the briefcase tradition.
Modi, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday on a two-day visit, referred to the trade deals India agreed with various countries and said India is seen as a "trusted partner for growth".
India's state-level fiscal rules have improved headline deficits, but the gains are fragile and uneven with major states still grappling with high debt levels, a World Bank report submitted to the 16th Finance Commission (FC) said. According to the report, despite nearly two decades of adoption of fiscal responsibility laws (FRLs), debt levels have not converged.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Union Budget, calling it 'lacklustre' and 'disappointing,' claiming it fails to address the needs of farmers, unemployed youth, and other key sectors.
Indian team management will heave a sigh of relief with Tilak Varma ticking all the boxes on his return to competitive cricket after a lower abdominal surgery as the 'A' team, comprising mostly of IPL stars, comfortably defeated the United States of America by 38 runs in a high-scoring warm-up game in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
Gehlot had on Wednesday refused to deliver the address to the Karnataka legislature, leading to a stalemate over the fate of the customary speech that outlines the government's policies.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget, focusing on investments and growth. The speech was marked by its business-like approach and lack of cultural references, while opposition members raised concerns about regional representation.
Halwa, a timeless Indian sweet that came to us from the Silk Route, is cherished for its richness.
Bharat Electronics, Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, InterGlobe Aviation, ICICI Bank and UltraTech Cement were among the other major gainers. Axis Bank, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Trent and Titan were the laggards.
Defending champions India have unveiled a well-rounded 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is well-known for donning saris that speak as powerfully as her budget speech. Each Budget Day, she selects a drape that pays tribute to India's amazing textile heritage and the mastery of its artisans.
India's electric passenger vehicle (ePV) market has expanded sharply over the past five years, with registrations rising from just 3,252 units in 2020 to about 170,000 in 2025. Throughout this scale-up, southern states have remained the bedrock of adoption, consistently contributing around one-third of national electric vehicle (EV) registrations - emphasising the region's role as the structural backbone of India's EV transition.
The Supreme Court has suggested that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) consider establishing gaushalas (cowsheds) under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to care for stray animals entering highways. The court also expressed dissatisfaction with several states' efforts to manage stray dog populations and suggested developing an app to report stray animal sightings.
While talking to students during Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Everyone has their own pattern. Some people study better in the morning, some at night. Whatever suits you, believe in that. But also take advice and, if that benefits you, then only add it to your life structure."
India pacer Mohammed Shami's five-wicket burst put Bengal on the verge of an outright victory with bonus point against Services on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Kalyani, West Bengal on Saturday.
Though the second quarter was goalless with Dragons trying their best to equalise with Uttam Singh leading the charge, there was not much they could gain from the attempts.
'The prime minister didn't come to Parliament.' 'But the BJP MP is charging that you wanted to assault the prime minister.' 'Only a person who has the intellect and ideology of the BJP can come up with such bizarre charges.'
'There is a lot of euphoria in the country after a trade agreement is signed. But it is an illusion for us. What is more important is making it real.'
Senior DMK leader I Periyasamy reiterated that Chief Minister M K Stalin is firm against sharing power with allies, dismissing any possibility of a coalition government in Tamil Nadu.
There's a lot of OTT entertainment in store this February. Joginder Tuteja lists the interesting line-up of movies and series coming up.
'Given that the population is almost evenly split, the Indian economy cannot grow without women participating in the workforce.' 'While women's participation has increased, it is still well below 40 per cent,' says Kartik Narayan, CEO of the professional networking and jobs platform, Apna.
Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's plan to implement the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state.
Two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.
S Padma, a street cleaner in Chennai, found a box full of gold worth more than Rs 45 lakh and returned it. 'I have been sweeping the streets of Chennai for 21 years. Nobody in the street knew me. I was just a faceless, nameless sanitation worker in an orange and blue uniform.'
Actor Vijay was questioned by the CBI for the second time in connection with the Karur stampede case, which resulted in 41 deaths and numerous injuries.
The PMK leader said that he came into the NDA fold to defeat the "anti-people" ruling DMK.
The gold loan portfolio across the system has nearly doubled to Rs 15.6 lakh crore in two years to November 2025, as a spike in prices of the precious commodity encouraged lenders to increase their exposures to the safer segment, a report said on Wednesday.
The court is hearing appeals against a CCI order imposing a penalty on Meta and WhatsApp.
Ranji Trophy: MP enter quarterfinals; Saurashtra on brink of qualification
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed after their aircraft crashed in Baramati on January 28, 2026. Here are 11 other prominent Indians who died in air crashes.
Defending champions West Bengal beat Nagaland 4-0 in Santosh Trophy
Madhya Pradesh minister Narendra Shivaji Patel blames the Tamil Nadu government for the deaths of 20 children due to contaminated cough syrup, citing negligence in inspecting medicines. The Tamil Nadu government has banned the sale of the syrup and ordered its removal from the market. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh criticizes the food and drug department's administration.
Anil Kumble has backed leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy to spearhead India's spin attack during next month's T20 World Cup as he believes he will have no issue dealing with the evening dew
'People are understanding it and taking it in the right way. If they watch the film completely, they will understand.'
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
8 Member of Parliaments were suspended from Lok Sabha for tearing & throwing papers at the Chair till April 2. Uproar started when Rahul Gandhi was barred from citing former Army Chief, General M M Naravane's memoir on 2020 India-China clash. Rediff.com brings you the details of these MPs who were suspended.
TVK chief Vijay was questioned by the CBI for six hours in connection with the Karur stampede case. The investigation is ongoing, with the CBI gathering evidence and analyzing statements to determine responsibility.
While the DMK depends on a 'silver sieve' of welfare schemes to stay in power, its support is slowly draining away under the weight of poor governance, corruption, and voters who are no longer satisfied with benefits alone and now want basic administration to work, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
Mohammed Siraj returned 17-3-56-4 to help Hyderabad bowl Chhattisgarh out for 283 on Day 1 of their Group D Ranji Trophy contest, in Hyderabad, on Thursday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances