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By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)
India’s fiscal deficit for FY26 stood at ₹15.19 lakh crore, or 4.4% of GDP, in line with the revised target. The deficit reached 97.5% of the budget estimate. Net tax receipts rose to ₹33 lakh crore from ₹30.87 lakh crore a year earlier, while total government expenditure increased to ₹49 lakh crore, reflecting continued public spending support.
The government has met its fiscal deficit target for 2025-26. Official data released by the Controller General of Accounts on Monday showed the deficit at 4.4% of GDP. This figure aligns with the revised estimate presented in Parliament in February, when the finance minister had set the target at 4.4%.
In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit for the year was ₹15.19 lakh crore. This is slightly lower than the ₹15.58 lakh crore revised estimate, indicating that the government managed to keep the deficit within its budgeted limits. The government had reduced its expenditure by about ₹39,323 crore to stay within the target.
A fiscal deficit is the gap between what the government earns and what it spends. When the government spends more than its income, it borrows to cover the difference. As a share of the economy, a lower fiscal deficit generally suggests a more manageable debt situation.
The government has been following a fiscal consolidation path. The deficit has come down from a high of 9.2% of GDP in FY21 to 4.8% in FY25 and then to 4.4% in FY26.
Net tax receipts for 2025-26 stood at ₹33 lakh crore, up from ₹30.87 lakh crore collected in the previous year. Non-tax revenue also rose to ₹6.8 lakh crore from ₹5.31 lakh crore a year earlier. The increase in revenue came despite a downward revision in the nominal GDP estimate. The government had initially estimated nominal GDP at ₹357 lakh crore for the year but later revised it to about ₹345 lakh crore under a new base year calculation. Still, tax collections remained robust enough to support the government’s spending plans.
On the expenditure side, total government spending for the year was ₹49 lakh crore, compared with ₹47.16 lakh crore in the previous year. Within this, capital expenditure spending on building physical infrastructure such as roads, railways, and ports — stood at ₹10.7 lakh crore, against ₹10.18 lakh crore a year earlier. The government has maintained its focus on infrastructure spending while keeping the overall deficit in check.
The government had set a target of reducing the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP by 2025-26 under its medium-term fiscal consolidation plan. The actual outcome of 4.4% is slightly better than that earlier goal. The government has now indicated it intends to keep the deficit at such levels between 2026-27 and 2030-31.
Data for the first month of the new financial year (April 2026) showed that the fiscal deficit had already reached 21.4% of the budgeted target for the full year ending March 2027. This is higher than usual for the first month of a financial year and suggests that spending in the early part of the year has been elevated.
The government’s fiscal deficit target for 2026-27 is set at 4.3% of GDP as well. Achieving the target will depend on how tax revenues perform and how well the government controls its spending.
For now, the government has met its stated target for the year that just ended. The data shows that public finances remained on track even with higher spending commitments. Investors and market participants will watch closely how the government manages its borrowing programme in the coming months.
Source: Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ), Reuters, CNBC TV18, Ministry of Finance Data
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This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Market investments are subject to risks. DSIJ Wealth Advisory Private Limited is a SEBI-registered Research Analyst (Reg. No: INH000006396) and Investment Adviser (Reg. No: INA000001142). Please consult your financial adviser before investing.
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