Union Budget 2026: Insights from Retail Associations

Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of the Retailers Association of India, says:
“Union Budget 2026–27 is not designed to stimulate consumption in the short term. Instead, it focuses on shaping the operating environment for retail through fiscal consolidation, infrastructure investment, MSME enablement, skilling, and regional growth. For the retail sector, its impact will be gradual and uneven, driven more by improvements in supply chains, workforce readiness, and rural and non-metro demand than by direct policy support.”

The budget emphasizes long-term structural reforms, aiming to create a more robust and sustainable ecosystem for India’s retail sector, strengthening the overall business environment for retailers across the country.