tirsdag 3. februar 2026

India sets record budget for infrastructure, defense

India is set to spend a record amount on infrastructure and defense, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told parliament on Sunday. New Delhi plans to invest $133 billion (€112 billion) in infrastructure and $85 billion on defence — an increase of around 9% and 15%, respectively, compared to last year's budget.

The finance minister also announced that the government will scale up manufacturing across seven strategic sectors. They include pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, rare earth magnets, chemicals, capital goods, textiles and sports goods.

"India will continue to take confident steps towards Viksit Bharat (Developed India), balancing ambition with inclusion," said Sitharaman in her national budget speech for the 2026-2027 financial year.