Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a Kanjeevaram saree while presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, continuing her Budget-day clothing tradition. Over the years, her saree choices have drawn attention for reflecting Indian textile heritage and regional identity. Observers note that her outfits on Budget day often highlight handloom styles and specific states. This year’s Kanjeevaram saree is seen as a nod to Tamil Nadu’s well-known weaving tradition. Such attire choices have become a regular feature alongside the Budget presentation. The practice links cultural representation with a key national financial event without being part of the formal policy announcements. (PC: X)

Indian stock markets first fell and then recovered partly after the Union Budget 2026 announcements. Sensex and Nifty dropped when the finance minister increased the tax on futures trading from 0.02% to 0.05%, which makes these trades more expensive. After the early fall, some large stocks saw buying and helped markets recover. HDFC, Sun Pharma, and TCS were among the main gainers during the session. Titan, Axis Bank, and ITC were among the major losers. The budget also announced ₹10,000 crore support for the biopharma sector, which pushed some pharma shares higher. Markets were open Sunday due to the Budget. (PC: HT)

Union Budget 2026 announced a new route for individuals living outside India to invest directly in Indian shares through the Portfolio Investment Scheme. The step is aimed at bringing more foreign investors into domestic equity markets. Earlier, most overseas flows came through registered foreign portfolio investors or NRI channels. The finance minister also proposed higher holding limits in listed companies for such investors. The individual ownership cap will rise from 5% to 10%. The combined cap for all such investors will increase from 10% to 24%. A market-making framework was also proposed to improve liquidity in corporate bond trading. (PC: NDTV)

Union Budget 2026–27 has changed customs duties on several goods, making some items cheaper and others more expensive. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said duty cuts will lower prices of essential medicines, including 17 cancer drugs, aircraft parts, and microwave components. Electric vehicles and selected leather goods will also benefit from lower duties. The government also allowed duty-free import of certain inputs to support leather exporters facing high US tariffs. Smartphones and tablets made in India are expected to become more affordable. At the same time, customs duty hikes will raise prices of luxury watches and imported alcohol. (PC: HT)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to build seven high-speed rail corridors in Union Budget 2026 to improve inter-city connectivity and support cleaner transport. The proposed routes include Mumbai–Pune, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi, Varanasi–Siliguri, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Chennai, and Chennai–Bengaluru. She said the corridors will link major economic and cultural centres and reduce travel time. The budget also raises public capital expenditure to ₹12.2 lakh crore for FY27 to sustain infrastructure growth. An Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund will support large projects. The government also proposed a new East–West freight corridor and expansion of national waterways to improve logistics and cargo movement. (PC: India Today)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹40,000 crore allocation for the semiconductor sector in Union Budget 2026 under “Semiconductor Mission 2.0”. She said the programme will build on the earlier mission and support industry-led research and training centres. The plan focuses on developing semiconductor equipment and materials using full-stack Indian intellectual property. The government said the budget approach favours reforms and long-term capacity building. Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has earlier stated that India is on track to begin commercial chip production in 2026, with multiple plants expected to start operations. Pilot production has already begun in several units during 2025. (PC: NDTV)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be ready to give evidence to the US Congress if he has relevant information linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer said anyone holding useful details should share them and stressed that victims must come first. His remarks followed a new US Department of Justice release of Epstein case files, including photos that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor inside Epstein’s New York residence. No context was provided with the images. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. US lawmakers earlier invited him to answer questions as part of their investigation. Being named or pictured in the files does not itself indicate wrongdoing. (PC: BBC)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined a three-duty framework as the main theme of Union Budget 2026 during her speech in Parliament. She said the government’s financial planning rests on three kartavya, or duties. The first is to accelerate and sustain economic growth by improving competitiveness. The second is to meet the aspirations of citizens. The third is to ensure every family, community and region gets access to resources and opportunities. Sitharaman said this approach needs a supportive ecosystem and described the budget as driven by youth power. This is her ninth consecutive budget under the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PC: HT)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present Budget 2026 with a stronger focus on long-term economic reforms rather than major tax relief. Government sources say Part B of the speech will highlight reform priorities, including manufacturing growth, export expansion, and global value chain integration. Customs duty simplification and a unified framework for export and manufacturing zones are also expected. India’s macro indicators remain stable, with solid GDP growth and easing inflation. However, fiscal discipline is likely to guide spending plans. Large personal income tax changes appear unlikely after last year’s overhaul, though small tweaks like higher standard deduction and compliance relief for small businesses may be considered. (PC: India Today)

Indian ultra-runner Sufiya Sufi has officially entered the Guinness World Records for completing the grueling Manali–Leh high-altitude run in 98 hours 27 minutes, becoming the first woman to finish the roughly *470–480 km route in under 100 hours. The endurance challenge crosses five Himalayan passes with an elevation gain of more than 8,500 m, known for thin oxygen and harsh conditions. Although her record was approved in 2023, the official certificate reached her only recently, which she celebrated on social media, thanking supporters and sponsors. (PC: X)