Budget 2026-27: New income tax act 2025, reduced TCS rates, tax holiday for foreign cloud firms

'Criticism welcome, but bring facts': Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Rahul Gandhi, says Budget prioritises MSMEs & rural India

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday rebutted Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Union Budget, saying it focuses on MSMEs, farmers, women entrepreneurs, and rural workers amid global uncertainty. She said political criticism is welcome but must be backed by facts. Gandhi had termed the Budget blind to issues like unemployment, farmers' distress, and falling manufacturing. Feb 1, 2026
'Very disappointing', says Shashi Tharoor; 'bilkul time waste', says Ashneer Grover as politicians and public react sharply to Budget 2026-27

'Very disappointing', says Shashi Tharoor; 'bilkul time waste', says Ashneer Grover as politicians and public react sharply to Budget 2026-27

The Union Budget 2026–27 triggered sharp reactions from politicians and the public, with Opposition leaders expressing strong disappointment and accusing the government of ignoring the concerns of ordinary citizens, farmers, youth and several states. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor termed the Budget "very disappointing," while former BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover called it "bilkul time waste" on social media, reflecting wider public frustration Feb 1, 2026
Sensex and Nifty crash by 1 pc, IndusInd Bank top loser

Worst budget day in 6 years: Sensex crashes 2,300 points on STT hike fears

Dalal Street endured a "Sunday Bloodbath" as the Sensex plunged nearly 2,300 points and Nifty fell 600 points after the government hiked Securities Transaction Tax on futures and options. The steep increase triggered a massive sell-off in brokerage and PSU bank stocks. While IT stocks remained resilient, overall investor wealth eroded as India VIX surged 12 percent. Feb 1, 2026
India will buy oil from Venezuela : Donald Trump's big claim

India will buy oil from Venezuela : Donald Trump's big claim

US President Donald Trumpl claimed India will buy Venezuelan oil, as opposed to purchasing oil from Iran. India does not import significant amounts of crude oil from Iran due to US sanctions, though prior to the sanctions, Iran was one of India's top sources of crude oil. Feb 1, 2026
Sensex, Nifty open nearly flat on Budget Day

Sensex, Nifty open nearly flat on Budget Day

As of 9.24 am, Sensex added 9 points, or 0.01 per cent, to reach 82,278, and Nifty lost 28 points, or 0.11 per cent to settle at 25,291. Main broad-cap indices posted notable losses as the Nifty Midcap 100 declined 0.73 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 lost 1.55 per cent. Feb 1, 2026
SBI launches 'CHAKRA' centre to finance India's sunrise sectors

SBI launches 'CHAKRA' centre to finance India's sunrise sectors

The centre will focus on eight sunrise sectors including renewable energy, advanced cell chemistry and battery storage, electric mobility, green hydrogen, semiconductors, decarbonisation, smart infrastructure and data centre infrastructure, a statement said. Jan 31, 2026
Canadian PM calls for 'buy Canadian' in response to Trump's new tariff threat

Trump says US‑backed plan will see Venezuelan oil exports resume

President Donald Trump has hailed a US-backed initiative to restart Venezuelan oil exports, saying countries will soon begin taking Venezuelan crude under the arrangement. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the plan as progressing smoothly but did not provide details on participating countries, timelines, or pricing. Jan 31, 2026