Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament addressed by President Droupadi Murmu marking the start for the Budget session.
Credit: PTI Photo
The Economic Survey 2025 has been prepared by Chief Economic Adviser of India (CEA), V Anantha Nageswaran and his team
Union Budget 2025 | Nirmala Sitharaman, who continues to be Finance Minister, will present her record 8th Union Budget this time. While inflation has burnt a hole in the pockets of 'aam janata', reports suggest there might be a tax relief for those making up to Rs 15 lakh per year. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
Ahead of Economic Survey release, Congress releases document on 'real' state of Indian economy
The main Opposition party has been vocal in criticising the Modi government about economic slowdown, and disparities.
Read the full document here
Economic Survey to be tabled at 12 pm in Lok Sabha; at 2 pm in Rajya Sabha
Economic Survey likely to project 6.3 - 6.8% GDP growth in FY'26
The Survey 2024-25, authored by Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageshwaran and his team, will be tabled in Parliament this afternoon. India's GDP is projected to grow at a 4-year low pace of 6.4 per cent in the current fiscal on weak manufacturing and investments, as per estimates of the National Statistics office.
Read more
Lok Sabha reconvenes ahead of tabling of the Economic Survey
The Economic Survey was slated to be tabled by FM Sitharaman at 12 noon in the Lok Sabha, but the process has yet to begin.
FM Sitharaman tables Economic Survey 2024-25
Lok Sabha adjourned till 11 am on Feb 1
Key Highlights from Economic Survey 2024-25
# Indian economy expected to grow at 6.3-6.8% in FY26.
# Investment activity expected to pick up, supported by higher public capex and improving business expectations.
# Fundamentals of Indian economy remain robust with strong external account and stable private consumption.
# Food inflation likely to soften in Q4 FY25 with seasonal easing of vegetable prices, Kharif harvest arrivals.
# India's economic prospects for FY26 balanced. Headwinds to growth include elevated geopolitical, trade uncertainties.
# Navigating global headwinds will require strategic, prudent policy management and reinforcing domestic fundamentals.
# India needs to improve global competitiveness through grassroots-level structural reforms, and de-regulations.
# India needs to improve its global competitiveness through grassroots level structural reforms, deregulation.
# Inflation risk from higher commodity prices seems limited in FY26, geopolitical tensions still pose risk.
Key Highlights from Economic Survey 2024-25
# Lack of appropriate governance framework for AI may lead to potential abuse or misuse of technology.
# Insolvency law's deterrent effect has led thousands of debtors resolving distress in early stages.
# Entry costs, information asymmetry, absence of secondary market must be addressed to boost liquidity in corporate bond market.
# Rupee depreciation in 2024 mainly due to strong US dollar amid geopolitical tensions, uncertainty around US election.
The Economic Survey has found that rupee depreciation in 2024 was mainly due to strong US dollar amid geopolitical tensions, uncertainty around US election
How Indian economy performed in FY25—key takeaways
- Indian economy expected to grow at 6.3-6.8 per cent in FY26.
- Investment activity expected to pick up, supported by higher public capex and improving business expectations.
- Fundamentals of Indian economy remain robust with strong external account and stable private consumption.
- Food inflation likely to soften in Q4 FY25 with seasonal easing of vegetable prices, Kharif harvest arrivals.
- India's economic prospects for FY26 balanced. Headwinds to growth include elevated geopolitical, trade uncertainties.
- Navigating global headwinds will require strategic, prudent policy management and reinforcing domestic fundamentals.
- India needs to improve its global competitiveness through grassroots level structural reforms, deregulation.
- Inflation risk from higher commodity prices seems limited in FY26, geopolitical tensions still pose risk.
Read more
Pharma landscape points toward need to focus on innovation
There is a need to focus on innovation, new drug development and biopharmaceuticals as spending on research and development still lags behind global leaders, said Economic Survey 2024-25 tabled in Parliament on Friday.
India needs to develop climate-resilient crop varieties
ndia needs to develop climate-resilient crop varieties and enhance yields to increase the production of pulses, oilseeds, tomatoes and onion to ensure long-term price stability, the Economic Survey 2024-25 on Friday said amid persisting concerns over food inflation.
The survey, tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday in Parliament, emphasised that India's food inflation rate has remained firm, driven by a few food items like vegetables and pulses.
Economic Survey calls for regulatory framework tweaks to align AI use with societal values
Accelerate private investment to achieve goal of 'Viksit Bharat@2047
Meaningful market correction in 2025 could have cascading effect on India, especially given higher participation of new retail investors
Over 60-hr work week could have adverse health effects, notes Economic Survey citing studies
Amid a debate over 70-90-hour work week, the pre-Budget Economic Survey on Friday cited studies to state that spending over 60 hours a week on work could have adverse health effects.
The survey noted that spending long hours at one's desk is detrimental to mental well-being and individuals who spend 12 or more hours (per day) at a desk have distressed or struggling levels of mental well-being.
Need enhanced deregulation for MSMEs; challenges in regulatory environment persist
'India also rose as a power in global services', says Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran
"One of the outcomes of the globalization era was also the rise of China as a manufacturing power. India also rose as a power in global services... The presence of China is pervasive and dominant. Manufacturing as a share of world gross output, China's share will probably be higher than the combined share of the next ten countries. It gives them a lot of strategic levers and advantages in several areas as we will see later in some other dimensions as well. This is an important development along with globalization in the last 40 years," Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran said.
'Flexibility is missing': Dr V Anantha Nageswaran says
"In general, we do specify the number of hours workers can work daily and weekly. Every country has it, but the problem is, that we have restrictions that shall be adhered to week after week after week, whereas other countries give flexibility to the enterprises to be able to achieve this over a longer period of three months or six months, your overall working hours cannot exceed this, but in a given week there could be more or less work depending on demand surge, that flexibility is missing," Anantha Nageswaran said.
Ayushman Bharat played decisive role in reductions in out-of-pocket expenditure
The Ayushman Bharat health-insurance scheme has played a decisive role in the significant reductions observed in out-of-pocket expenditure through an increase in social security and primary health expenditure, with more than Rs 1.25 lakh crore in savings recorded, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25 that was tabled in Parliament on Friday.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has revolutionised healthcare by providing a health coverage to the bottom 40 per cent of India's most vulnerable populations, the survey said.
Kerala has replicable model for localisation of SDG
Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ensures that rural development is in harmony with international goals, the Economic Survey released on Friday said, lauding Kerala for having a robust, community-based model that leverages its strong local governance institutions, and called it a "replicable model".
Need to scale up infra investment, push private financing to sustain growth
Lack of climate finance may prompt reworking of climate targets
The lack of financial support from developed countries to mitigate climate change in the Global South may prompt developing countries to "rework" their climate targets, India's Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has said.
In the Economic Survey 2024-25 tabled in Parliament on Friday, Nageswaran said the new financial package agreed at the 2024 UN climate conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan to support climate action in the developing world "presents little optimism".
Economic Survey pitches for policy shift to cut cereal output, boost pulses, edible oils
Energy transition runs through China, says Economic Survey
Energy transition in the world runs through China, stated the Economic Survey 2024-25 noting that the neighbouring nation has huge manufacturing capacity of renewable energy equipment to drive that in the world.
The dominance of China in the environmental goods sector deserves serious consideration, noted the document tabled in the Parliament on Friday.
According to the document, the world navigates the challenges of climate change, the road to energy transition runs through China.
ISRO's geospatial platforms aiding govt programmes across sectors
From monitoring electrical infrastructure to providing assistance in urban planning, ISRO's advanced geospatial platforms are supporting a range of projects across different sectors, the Economic Survey said on Friday.
The Bhuvan platform of ISRO plays a vital role in rural development, tracking projects under schemes like MGNREGA and the watershed component of PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, according to the survey tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.