Budget 2026: What gets cheaper, what gets costlier; Here’s the full list
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New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced several changes in customs and excise duties in Budget 2026.
The changes aim to support domestic manufacturing, reduce imports and boost demand. As a result, prices of some everyday and essential items will come down, while others will become costlier.
What will get cheaper ?
The government has reduced or removed duties on several essential and locally manufactured items. This is expected to lower prices for consumers.
In healthcare, 17 life-saving medicines used to treat serious diseases like cancer and diabetes will become cheaper.
In the electronics sector, components used to make mobile phones and tablets will attract lower duty, making smartphones and tablets cheaper.
Microwave ovens are also expected to cost less after exemption of basic customs duty on certain manufacturing parts.
In green energy, lithium-ion cells used in EV batteries have been exempted from basic customs duty, making electric vehicle batteries cheaper. Solar panels will also become more affordable.
For travel, foreign tour packages will become cheaper as the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) has been reduced to 2 per cent for overseas travel, education and medical purposes.
Leather products and footwear are expected to get cheaper due to lower import duty on raw materials. Sports equipment, seafood, civil aviation parts and some personal electronic items have also seen duty cuts.
To boost clean energy manufacturing, the government will continue to waive import duty on machinery used to produce lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage systems.
Import duty on dutiable goods brought in for personal use has also been cut from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while TCS under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme for education and medical treatment abroad has been reduced from 5 per cent to 2 per cent.
Duty exemptions were also extended to aircraft engines, nuclear power project goods and capital goods for critical minerals.
On the costlier side, the Budget proposed changes in buyback taxation, higher Securities Transaction Tax on select transactions, and tighter provisions on tax misreporting. Customs duty exemptions on naphtha used in fertiliser production and on zoo animal imports have been withdrawn, while higher duties were announced on ATM machines and film and broadcasting equipment for foreign crews.
What will get costlier ?
The Budget has increased taxes on items considered non-essential or harmful.
Cigarettes, pan masala, gutkha, bidis and other tobacco products will become more expensive due to higher excise duty and a new cess. Alcohol prices are also set to rise.
Trading in futures and options (F&O) will become costlier after an increase in Securities Transaction Tax (STT).
Some imported personal-use goods will attract higher customs duty. Prices of items like e-readers, CD-ROMs, digital cameras, video games, software and umbrellas are also expected to go up.
Coffee may become costlier as duty exemptions on coffee roasting, brewing and vending machines have been removed. Adult sanitary pads have also been listed among items that may see a price increase.
Overall, the Budget continues the trend of making essential goods cheaper while increasing taxes on luxury and “sin” goods.
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US rules out use of nuclear weapons against Iran
Washington DC: The White House has reportedly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, even as uncertainty continues over ongoing peace negotiations and a deadline set by US President Donald Trump approaches.
Issues bout a possible escalation had increased after US Vice President JD Vance said that the United States has “tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use” in dealing with Iran.
His remarks came amid rising tensions and ahead of a deadline linked to peace efforts.
The situation has attracted attention as Trump warned Iran that its “whole civilization will die tonight tonight” if an agreement is not reached by Tuesday at 8 pm.
This statement led to speculation about the possibility of extreme military measures, including a nuclear strike.
Following Vance’s comments, the White House issued a clarification distancing itself from such interpretations. In a post on X, it said, "Literally nothing @VP said here 'implies' this, you absolute buffoons." In a later statement, it added that “only the president knows” what action will be taken regarding Iran.
Literally nothing @VP said here "implies" this, you absolute buffoons https://t.co/7JU3wXMaWX
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2026
