Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday held the first round of pre-Budget consultations with leading economists ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27.
The meeting was attended by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, senior officials from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and other prominent economists, reported the IANS.
According to a post by the Ministry of Finance on X, “Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the first pre-budget consultation with leading economists in connection with the upcoming Union Budget 2026-27, in New Delhi today.”
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman chairs the second Pre-Budget Consultation meeting with representatives from Farmer Associations and Agriculture Economists ahead of the forthcoming General Budget 2026-27 in New Delhi, today.
The #PreBudget… pic.twitter.com/Tqegqc7TkP
— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) November 10, 2025
“The meeting was also attended by Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Ministry of Finance; and Chief Economic Adviser, Government of India, besides senior officers from the DEA,” the ministry stated in a post on X..
The government has been holding a series of meetings with representatives from various sectors to gather inputs and recommendations for the upcoming Budget. The discussions have focused on enhancing the ease of doing business, supporting MSMEs, and broadening tax benefits for businesses and individuals.
Last month, officials from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) met Revenue Secretary Arvind Srivastava to share recommendations on direct and indirect tax policies.
PHDCCI CEO and Secretary General, Dr Ranjit Mehta, said the discussions focused on both taxation and business facilitation. “We also discussed ease of doing business, which is the government’s focus,” he noted, adding that the Chamber had shared specific suggestions to ease liquidity challenges faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to the IANS.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has urged the government to introduce comprehensive tax reforms in the upcoming Budget, including faster dispute resolution, simplification of the TDS regime, and full digitisation of customs systems.
CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee said India must move from a dispute-driven to a dispute-preventive tax framework. “The tax system should not only raise revenue efficiently but also act as a catalyst for investment, innovation and competitiveness,” he said.
The government is expected to continue consultations with industry bodies and experts over the coming weeks before finalising proposals for the Union Budget 2026-27.
(with IANS inputs)