Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tables Economic Survey 2026 in Parliament

STC NEWS DESK
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 29 (STC): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2026 document in front of both houses today, during the
Released ahead of the Union Budget 2026, the Economic Survey 2025-26 sets the tone for the government’s economic approach. Prepared by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, the document provides a snapshot of the Centre’s assessment of the economy.

Key Highlights

• For FY26, growth is projected at 7.4% as per the first advance estimates released earlier this month.
• The Indian economy is expected to expand at 6.8-7.2% in FY27, supported by strong macro fundamentals and a series of regulatory reforms, as per the Economic Survey 2025-26.
• It projects real GDP growth in FY27 in the range of 6.8 to 7.2%. “The outlook, therefore, is one of steady growth amid global uncertainty, requiring caution, but not pessimism,” it stated.
• The International Monetary Fund has projected 7.3% growth im FY26 and 6.4% in FY27; while the World Bank has pegged growth at 7.2% in FY26 and 6.5% in FY27.
• Subdued inflation has weighed on nominal GDP growth. The first advance estimates pegged nominal GDP growth at 8% for the current fiscal year, below the budgeted assumption of 10.1%.
• In Decemeber, the Reserve Bank of India estimated CPI inflation at 2% for the year, below its 4% target, as food price corrections kept price pressures moderate.
  RBI has projected inflation of 0.6% for the December quarter and 2.9% for the March quarter.

Themes of the Economic Survey

• 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.
• This year, the document laid out a strategic vision for navigating a global economy strained by a tougher US tariff regime.

Economic Survey’s projections? Data says…

Here is a look at India’s economic growth and the Economic Survey projections over the years. (Source: PTI)

• GDP growth in FY24 was at 9.2% as against the Survey’s projection of 6-6.8%.
  Economic growth in FY25 was 6.5%, in line with the 6.5-7% projection.
• In FY23, target was missed, with economic growth at 7.6%, against the 8.8.5% projection made in the Eco Survey.
  In FY22, amid COVID-19, growth was recorded at 9.7%, mainly due to base effect, while the the Economic Survey did not make any projections due to the pandemic.
• In FY21 growth sat at negative at 5.8%, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
• Economic Survey 2025-26, Budget 2026, Budget Session: Key dates to know

Notably, the budget session kicked off on 28 January with a joint address by President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament. The Parliament’s budget session will conclude on 2 April 2026.
The Union Budget 2026 will be presented in Parliament on 1 February by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

(Straight Talk Communications I Inputs from Agencies)