Author: IND Media

 Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be making history today when she presents her 9th consecutive Union Budget. This achievement makes her the first Finance Minister in India to deliver nine consecutive budgets, surpassing her own record.With this ninth consecutive budget, Sitharaman moves closer to the overall record of 10 budgets held by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, though Desai’s presentations were not all consecutive.Notably, she will surpass P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee to become the second-highest-budget holder in Indian history. She’s the first Finance Minister to present 9 consecutive budgets, showcasing her steady leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi…

At a time when Artificial Intelligence (AI) is posing a serious threat to creativity, printmaking is thumbing its nose at it. The artistic process that can traces its roots to 3000 BCE — when cylinder seals were used in Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley — has an inbuilt sense of mobility that is hard to silence. One of the reasons why it’s having a moment in 2026.In Kolkata, the third edition of the Print Biennale is on (till February 15) at the Lalit Kala Akademi. Featuring over 204 artists from across the globe, it highlights contemporary printmaking. In the national capital, Dhoomimal…

Guntur: Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested senior YSRCP leader and former minister Ambati Rambabu here, following his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.High drama unfolded on Guntur roads and also at Rambabu’s home for several hours on Saturday afternoon and running late into the night, where dozens of TDP leaders and cadres were seen ransacking the opposition leader’s house and vehicles, according to the footage aired on Telugu news channels.Guntur district Superintendent of Police (SP) Vakul Jindal confirmed to PTI that Rambabu, who was serving as irrigation minister in the previous YSRCP regime, has been arrested.He was…

Gold and silver prices tumbled on Sunday, hitting their lower circuit levels in futures trade, ahead of Union Budget 2026-27 presentation. Gold futures for April 2, 2026, delivery fell Rs 9,140, or 6%, to Rs 1,43,205 per 10 grams, while silver futures for March 5, 2026, delivery dropped Rs 17,515, or 6%, to Rs 2,74,410 per kg.As the precious metals continued their steep fall, MCX shares slipped 10% to hit the lower circuit of Rs 2,145.25. The selloff follows Friday’s historic crash, which saw both silver and gold record their sharpest single-day falls. According to analysts, investors rushing to book…

Ram Charan and Upasana Kamineni Konidela joyfully welcomed twins, a baby boy and a girl, as announced by proud grandfather Chiranjeevi. The newborns and mother are reported to be healthy. This marks the couple’s second time becoming parents, expanding their family to five. Fans are showering the couple with heartfelt congratulations and blessings. Ram Charan and Upasana Kamineni Konidela have been blessed with twins and their whole family is filled with happiness. The news was shared by Chiranjeevi who wrote that the couple welcomed a baby boy and a baby girl. He also said that the babies and the mother…

Stock Markets Today: With the Union Budget 2026–27 set for today, one aspect that shows the general sentiment is the stock market. However, as the Budget this year falls on a Sunday, it becomes a question if the markets will open. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) have confirmed that markets will remain open for trading, allowing investors to respond immediately to the budget announcements.Market timings and sessionsAccording to exchange circulars, regular equity trading will be there from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm. Core segments, including equities, futures and options, and commodity derivatives, will operate normally.…

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, marking a rare Sunday sitting and a first in independent India’s history. The Union Budget for FY27 (April 2026–March 2027) is expected to outline measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline and push reforms to shield the economy from global trade frictions, including potential US tariffs.With the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on January 29, industry and businesses laid out clear expectations from Budget 2026, particularly around artificial intelligence, infrastructure spending, telecom reforms and manufacturing support. The upcoming Budget…

 Gross tax collections from domestic transactions grew 4.8% to₹1.41 lakh crore, while import revenues were up 10.1% to ₹52,253 crore in January. File. | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal Gross GST collections rose 6.2 per cent to over ₹1.93 lakh crore in January, mainly on higher revenues from imports, sources said on Sunday (February 1, 2026). Total refunds declined 3.1% to ₹22,665 crore.Union Budget 2026 updates on February 1, 2026 Net Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues, however, grew 7.6% to about ₹1.71 lakh crore in January. Cess collection (from tobacco products) in January stood at ₹5,768 crore. This compares to ₹13,009 crore…

After opening the day on a positive note, the 30-share BSE Sensex later fluctuated and quoted 13 points up. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty fluctuated in a narrow range in early trade on Sunday (February 1, 2026) ahead of the Budget 2026-27 presentation.After opening the day on a positive note, the 30-share BSE Sensex later fluctuated and quoted 13 points up at 82,282.82. The 50-share NSE Nifty skidded 7.90 points to 25,312.75 after opening marginally higher.Union Budget 2026 LIVE The Union Budget for 2026-27 will be presented in Parliament later in the day.…

President Donald Trump gestures after stepping off Air Force One on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla. | Photo Credit: AP President Donald Trump said on Saturday (January 31, 2026) that he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests occurring in cities led by Democrats unless local authorities ask for federal help amid mounting criticism of his administration’s immigration crackdown. On his social media site, Mr. Trump posted that “under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their…