Economic Survey 2026 Live Updates: Parliament Should Empower Citizens, Says PM Modi Ahead Of Budget Session Day 2

Economic Survey 2026 Live Updates: Parliament Should Empower Citizens, Says PM Modi Ahead Of Budget Session Day 2

Economic Survey 2026 LIVE: Ahead of the Union Budget 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to table the Economic Survey 2026 in both Houses of Parliament between 11 am and 12 noon today. The Survey will present a comprehensive review of the Indian economy, covering trends in growth, inflation, fiscal position, employment, credit, trade and the external sector, and is expected to shape the policy direction of the upcoming Budget.

Following the presentation, Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran will brief the media on the Survey's key findings.

Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, in line with the practice since 2017 of delivering the Budget at 11 am.

Meanwhile, some tax experts suggest the government may gradually move towards phasing out the old tax regime, as it continues to promote the new regime as the default option. However, there has been no official signal so far that such a step will be announced in Budget 2026.

PM Modi, while addressing at the start of the second day of the budget session, praised the trade deal between India and European Union, calling it a “symbol of youth”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give his media statement ahead of the start of the Budget Session of Parliament.

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The Budget Session of Parliament commenced yesterday with the President's Address. While no legislative business is scheduled in the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha's agenda includes the tabling of the Economic Survey for 2025-26.

“The Economic Survey aims to inform the public about the state of the economy and stimulate discussion on the issues confronting both the governed and the governing, the paths that lie ahead and the ones they must decide to tread. Given the depth and breadth of topics covered, the Economic Survey this time is longer than usual. It is also organised differently from previous editions,” CEA Anantha Nageswaran says in a column in the Mint.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to table the Economic Survey 2026 in both Houses of Parliament between 11 am and 12 noon today.

After that, India's Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran will address a press conference to explain the key takeaways from the Economic Survey.

The Economic Survey is often called the report card of the country's financial health. The Survey details out the state of the economy so far and also gives projections for the upcoming financial year. India has consistently outperformed the Economic Survey projections in the recent past.

All eyes would be on the commentary on capex and fiscal prudence.

Elara Capital's chief economist Garima Kapoor, highlighted that the Union Budget FY27E is set to emphasise the government's role as a capex enabler from a capex spender.

The report pointed out that as “government opens to trade, customs duty rationalisation imperative: With geopolitical uncertainty reshaping global supply chains, a simpler and more predictable customs framework could materially enhance the competitiveness of exports and improve FTA effectiveness, without posing meaningful fiscal risks.”

A fragmented duty structure with eight slabs, multiple exemptions and overlapping levies adds to compliance complexity and increases the scope for classification disputes, they explained.

In FY25 economic survey data, real GDP growth was estimated to be in the range of 6.3-6.8% for FY26. The survey expected inflation to align with the RBI target of 4% in FY26.

All attention is on the state of the economy and the outlook on the future policy changes ahead of the Budget-

1. Real GDP growth projection of FY26

2. Prices & inflation

3. Performance of banking, agriculture and other sectors

4. Export and services strength

Manish Shah, MD & CEO of Godrej Capital, said that as India enters the next phase of financial deepening, the emphasis must move beyond merely expanding credit to improving the quality, accessibility and sustainability of finance. While capital availability has improved, he noted that the real opportunity lies in making finance more affordable, flexible and better aligned with the cash-flow realities of households, MSMEs and emerging entrepreneurs. He added that the Union Budget 2026 can play a meaningful role by deepening domestic liquidity and strengthening risk-sharing frameworks such as credit guarantees and co-lending structures. According to Shah, these steps would help lower borrowing costs, enable longer and more predictable tenures, and create repayment structures that offer greater certainty to borrowers.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey 2026 in Parliament today. Last year, the government had projected India's economic growth for FY26 in the range of 6.3-6.8 per cent, but actual outcomes largely exceeded those estimates. According to the latest government projections, the economy is expected to grow a better-than-anticipated 7.4 per cent in FY26, up from 6.5 per cent in FY25, driven by rising investment and a surge in manufacturing activity.

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has written a column on the day the Eco Survey will be presented. In a column published in The Mint, the CEA touches upon various themes such as rupee depreciation, geopolitical volatility and more

Rupee hits record low of 92.00 against US dollar in early trade

India's agriculture was expected to rebound with 3.8% growth in FY25, remaining above trend levels. The industry sector was forecast to grow by 6.2% in FY2025, though manufacturing faced challenges from slowing global demand and supply chain disruptions.

The first Economic Survey in India was presented in 1950-51 along with the Union Budget. However, since 1964, the Economic Survey has been presented separately.

While we wait for the findings of the Economic Survey, another critically important financial event happened in other side of the world. The US Federal Reserve announced the benchmark interest rates in closely watched presser earlier today. Despite the persistent criticism from US President Donald Trump, Fed Chair Jerome Powell kept the interest rate steady in the range of 3.5% to 3.75%. “In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 per cent,” the FOMC said in the statement.

Ahead of the release of the Economic Survey and the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Congress raised doubts over the government's economic claims, alleging that inequality is increasing while welfare measures are being rolled back.

The opposition party released a report on the state of the economy a day before the Budget Session of Parliament, saying it was necessary to place the “facts” before the public. The party claimed the government would otherwise promote its narrative through the President's address to Parliament, the Economic Survey and the Union Budget.

The Congress' flagship annual report, titled “Inequality on the Rise, Welfare in Retreat – Real State of the Economy 2026”, was unveiled by All India Congress Committee (AICC) Research Department chairman Rajeev Gowda along with party leader Amitabh Dubey.

Until 1964, the Economic Survey was presented as part of the Union Budget and functioned as an official economic record to guide budget-related deliberations in Parliament. It was later delinked from the Budget to give lawmakers and the public a clearer, data-backed assessment of the state of the economy ahead of fiscal policy decisions. By highlighting key challenges, risks and structural issues, the Survey also provides essential context for the government's policy direction.

Expectations for growth from Economic Survey 2025-26:

> India is expected to record 7.4% growth, as against the 6.3-6.8% projection made in the pre-Budget Economic Survey document last year

> Market participants will watch out for the Survey's commentary on global risks, fiscal consolidation, and sectoral trends as these influence equity, bond, and currency sentiment.

> Eyes will also be on the data and policy advise, which while not binding, often sets the narrative framework within which the Budget and future economic decisions are made.

The Economic Survey usually covers the GDP growth trends, inflation and monetary policy, fiscal position, performance of the external sector, social indicators such as employment, health, education, and other special chapters on emerging themes.

Presented just ahead of the Budget, the survey sets the tone for the government's economic thinking and offers a detailed snapshot of where India stands financially before new policy decisions are announced.

India is expected to record 7.4% growth, as against the 6.3-6.8% projection made in the pre-Budget Economic Survey document last year, according to a PTI report.

Market participants will watch out for the Survey's commentary on global risks, fiscal consolidation, and sectoral trends as these influence equity, bond, and currency sentiment.

Eyes will also be on the data and policy advise, which while not binding, often sets the narrative framework within which the Budget and future economic decisions are made.

The growth forecast range for FY26 and beyond (and whether it comes with conditions like global demand, commodity prices, or financial conditions).

Whether the Survey explicitly anchors itself to the First Advance Estimates narrative being cited widely right now: FY26 growth being pegged at 7.4% in those estimates.

The tone: does it read like ‘resilient and broad-based' or ‘strong but fragile'? Markets price tone faster than tables.

The Economic Survey 2025-26 will be tabled in Parliament today, Thursday, January 29, and will be followed by a media briefing by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran.

The Economic Survey is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance. It is presented in the name of the Chief Economic Adviser-currently Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran-and provides an in-depth analysis of macroeconomic conditions, fiscal indicators and forward-looking assessments.

Economic Survey 2026 Date & Time: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey 2025-26 in Parliament today, January 29, at 11 am, setting the stage and tone for the Union Budget

Presented just ahead of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Economic Survey plays a critical role in shaping expectations around policy direction. While the Budget will lay out spending plans and tax proposals, the Survey explains the broader economic thinking behind those decisions.

For markets and policymakers alike, the Economic Survey 2025-26 will offer crucial insights into where the economy stands today, and how the government plans to steer it in the year ahead.

The annual document offers a comprehensive assessment of India's macroeconomic performance and outlines the government's assessment of growth prospects, risks and policy priorities.

Prepared by the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser, the Economic Survey is presented a day ahead of the Budget and serves as a key reference point for policymakers, investors, economists and markets. While it does not announce policy measures or tax changes, it provides the analytical foundation on which Budget decisions are framed.

The Economic Survey for FY26 will be presented in Parliament today, Thursday, January 29, during the ongoing Budget Session, which began earlier this week and will continue until April 2.

Source: News18
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