Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India has the potential to emerge as a global hub for sports goods, announcing a dedicated initiative to promote globally competitive sports manufacturing under Budget 2026.

To strengthen MSMEs, Sitharaman proposed a Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund to incentivise enterprises meeting select criteria. Along with this, she announced a Rs 2,000 crore allocation for the Self-Reliant India Fund to continue supporting micro enterprises. She also announced plans to link GeM with TReDS for information sharing. Furthermore, she plans to introduce TReDS receivables as asset-backed securities.

The Budget also outlined measures to improve ease of doing business for MSMEs. These measures include modular courses to train ‘Corporate Mitras’ who will assist firms with regulatory compliance. In addition, the government will continue focusing on infrastructure development in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

On public spending, Sitharaman said capital expenditure has been allocated Rs 11 lakh crore in FY26. This will rise to Rs 12.2 lakh crore in FY27. She also proposed setting up an Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund. Moreover, she plans to create dedicated REITs to recycle assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises.