Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday praised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, saying it has chosen action over ambivalence, reforms over rhetoric, and people over populism.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026, her ninth consecutive one, she said the Centre has pursued "far-reaching structural reforms".
"Since we assumed office 12 years ago, India's economic trajectory has been marked by stability, fiscal discipline, sustained growth, and moderate inflation. This is the result of conscious choices we have made even in times of heightened uncertainty and disruptions," she told Lok Sabha.
"Keeping Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) as a lodestar, we have built domestic manufacturing capacity, energy security, and reduced critical import dependencies. Simultaneously, we have ensured that citizens benefit from every action of the government, undertaking reforms to support employment generation, agricultural productivity, household purchasing power, and universal services to people," she said.
Sitharaman said these measures have delivered a high growth rate of around 7% and helped India make substantial strides in poverty reduction and improvement in the lives of our people.
She said that today, India faces an "external environment" in which trade and multilateralism are in "imperent" and access to resources and supply chains is disrupted.
"India will continue to take confident steps towards Viksit Bharat, balancing ambition with inclusion. As a growing economy with expanding trade and capital needs, India must also remain deeply integrated with global markets, exporting more and attracting stable long-term investment," the senior BJP leader said.
