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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her 9th budget speech, has made several announcements that could change the face of the country. The Finance Minister announced rail corridors and increased capital expenditure to ₹12.20 lakh crore. From high-speed rail corridors to regional medical centers, several announcements have been made that will lead the country towards a developed India. Let's take a look at the 10 major announcements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech.

Top 10 Announcements by the Finance Minister:
1. Increase in Capex

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Given the consistent increase in government capital expenditure (capex) over the past few years, the Finance Minister proposed increasing government capex for FY 2027 to ₹12.2 lakh crore from ₹11.2 lakh crore in FY 2026.

2. Seven New High-Speed ​​Rail Corridors

To promote environmentally friendly passenger travel, the Finance Minister proposed adding seven new high-speed rail corridors: Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi, and Varanasi to Siliguri.

3. Measures to Strengthen Bond Markets

The Finance Minister proposed a market-making framework with access to funds and derivatives on corporate bond indices. This move aims to strengthen the corporate bond market.

4. Establishment of NIMHANS 2.0

The government will establish NIMHANS 2.0 to set up a premier mental health institution in North India.

5. Indian Institute of Creative Technologies

The budget proposes assisting the Mumbai-based Indian Institute of Creative Technologies to set up content labs in 15,000 secondary schools.

6. Special Focus on Banking for the Goal of Developed India

The Finance Minister stated that a high-level committee will be constituted on banking for a developed India. He stated that this committee will review the entire banking system and suggest necessary changes to propel the next phase of India's economic growth.

7. Increase in Investment Limit for NRIs

The investment limit for NRIs has been increased from 5% to 10%, and the overall investment limit has been raised from 10% to 24%. This move is expected to increase the participation of capital from non-resident Indians and improve access to long-term foreign funds.

8. Focus on Fiscal Consolidation

The budget estimate for the fiscal deficit for FY 2027 is 4.3 percent of GDP, while the revised estimate for FY 2026 is 4.4 percent.

9. Atmanirbhar Bharat Fund

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Sunday that an additional ₹4,000 crore will be infused into the Atmanirbhar Bharat Fund in 2026-27 to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This fund was announced in 2023 to provide ₹50,000 crore in equity funding to MSMEs that have the potential and viability to grow into larger enterprises.

10. Announcement of SME Fund

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed setting up a ₹10,000 crore fund to promote leading Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to boost the economy. While presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, she also proposed a scheme for container manufacturing to create a globally competitive ecosystem.

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