TOI Budget Dialogue 2026: Experts discuss how Budget impacts common man and India’s growth tomorrow

The Times of India Budget Dialogues 2026, held in New Delhi on Tuesday, brought together policymakers, economists, industry leaders and opinion-makers to discuss the priorities and direction of the Union Budget. The discussions focused on India’s economic path at a time of global uncertainty and rising domestic expectations, including what the Budget means for infrastructure, manufacturing, jobs and social development.The third session, titled Impact of Budget on the Aam Aadmi, looked at how Budget decisions affect ordinary citizens. Panelists said the government’s focus on stability, infrastructure and key sectors could help the common man in both direct and indirect ways. Sonu Iyer, National Leader, People Advisory Services–Tax at EY India, said the “simplification of the Budget” would benefit the aam aadmi, especially with attention on “the right industries like infrastructure, new-generation technology and medical tourism”. She added that “if the ecosystem is thriving, the aam aadmi is definitely going to be helped.” Shiv Agrawal, Managing Director of ABC Consultants, said the Budget was “very pro-job-creating”, noting that employment grows when businesses feel confident. “As a businessperson, I get confidence with the continuity of policy. I am actually glad there was no big-bang announcement,” he said.Other speakers said the discussion should go beyond tax relief. Himani Choudhary, a mutual fund distributor and finance educator, said the aam aadmi often focuses mainly on tax cuts, but added that she was “expecting environmental costs to also be factored in”. “The quality of our infrastructure also impacts GDP. There is a need for holistic development,” she said. Kashika Malhotra, Director at Brandman Retail, said higher spending on infrastructure would support domestic manufacturing. “With more budget towards infrastructure, it helps Make in India and leads to a rise in job production,” she said. Prof. Dr. Sanjeev Bagai, Padma Shri awardee and Chairman of Nephron Clinics, described the Budget as “a working Budget” and “a consolidation phase”. “Healthcare has seen an 11 per cent increase. If the nation has to become fully developed, it has to be healthy, and in that context, it is absolutely critical that the Finance Minister has discussed mental health,” he said.The fifth panel, India Looking Forward, focused on the country’s long-term growth and the role of capital, policy clarity and ecosystem support. Archana Jahagirdar, Founder and Managing Partner at Rukam Capital, said the growth of founders depends on the environment they operate in. “If it is favourable for a consumer tech founder, it will grow,” she said, adding that access to risk capital remains a concern. “If we are talking about AI, we have to be alive to how much risk capital is available.” Venkatesh Raman Prasad, Partner at JSA Associates, said investment depends on predictability. “We need solutions around certainty of policies, tax certainty, quality of contract enforcement and the talent pool. India now has the talent pool, but the first three have been debated without finding a solution. Perhaps in this Budget, we are seeing some clarificatory language,” he said. Ranjan Dhar, Director and Vice President of Sales and Marketing at AM/NS India, said a developed nation rests on strong infrastructure and manufacturing. “We are bringing some of the best construction technologies into India. In steel, soon the need for imports for automobiles will be zero,” he said, adding that earlier imports were due to commercial reasons and the lack of high-quality steel in the country. Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt (Retd.), Director General of the Indian Space Association, said India’s space programme was designed for public use. “Isro’s aim was use for the common man, unlike other countries where exploration was the goal. By 2060, the space between the Earth and the Moon will have thousands of people working,” he said. Content creator Udayan Adhye said for a content creator, impact also requires engagement beyond digital platforms. “There has to be an offline way of helping people who follow you as a content creator. This is critical for any content creator to make an impact,” he said.