Sabka Vikas: How The Union Budget 2025-26 Presents A Blueprint For India’s Holistic Growth

As India stands at the crossroads of rapid urbanisation and technological advancement, the Union Budget 2025-26 has come as a decisive call for action. It’s more than just a financial document; it attempts to be a comprehensive blueprint for how India will navigate the complex challenges ahead and grasp the vast opportunities on the horizon. By announcing the vision of ‘Sabka Vikas’ over the next five years and strategic investments in sectors critical for progress, the government has sent a powerful message: The moment to forge a future-ready India is now—let's seize it!

This year’s Budget reflects the government's strategic focus on holistic growth and delivers forward-looking measures that not only respond to the needs of today, but also lay the groundwork for a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive tomorrow. 

By placing a significant emphasis on infrastructure expansion, urbanisation, agriculture, digitalisation, and sustainable development, these initiatives will be instrumental in driving balanced growth across industries to steer the nation towards the larger goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, 100 years after its independence.

Infrastructure as a launchpad for national growth
The most significant takeaway from the Union Budget 2025-26 is the allocation of substantial funds to enhance infrastructure across key sectors, recognising it as the bedrock on which the nation's economic future will rest. The Finance Minister’s announcement of allocating INR 10,000 crore for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects and extending INR 1.5 lakh crore of 50-year interest free loans to states for encouraging reforms is a step in the right direction to adopt a more collaborative growth model and build a robust infrastructure that can support the ongoing urbanisation. The real estate sector, long-standing as a critical pillar of India’s economy, stands to benefit substantially from this development.

Shaping urbanisation and real estate landscape
According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, over 40 per cent of the Indian population will live in cities by 2030. The Budget’s attention to urban development and affordable housing is a timely response to this demographic shift and bridging the gap to ensure a more balanced growth trajectory. The government’s increased emphasis on building responsibly by allocating an INR 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund will be a crucial enabler for significant redevelopment, shaping cities as growing hubs, promoting social infrastructure and improving quality of life. The expansion of Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) fund by INR 15,000 crore will provide developers with the much-needed support to complete the one lakh pending projects, thus increasing the supply of affordable housing in the market.

Building a future-ready ecosystem with a technological push and digital skilling
The vision for a Digital India has now entered a critical phase of execution. The Budget has announced the launch of a Deep Tech Fund to catalyse the next generation of start-up innovation and is setting up a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ensure the workforce of tomorrow is well equipped to thrive in the technologically advanced nation that’s in making. Initiatives to develop public digital infrastructure can help foster an entire ecosystem that leverages data, technology, and sustainability in unison.

Lifting India’s urban future with elevators and escalators
Vertical transportation is the glue that ties together all aspects of India’s urban future. The Budget’s focus on advancing infrastructure, urbanisation, real estate, sustainability, and digital adoption, among other things, bodes well for the elevator and escalator industry. Positioned at the nexus of innovation and efficiency, the industry is primed to be a catalyst in shaping India’s skyline with state-of-the-art vertical mobility solutions and play a pivotal role in creating future-ready, inclusive, efficient, and responsible urban spaces, propelling India toward a more connected and progressive future. 

It also stands as a concrete pillar for the ‘Make in India’ initiative, driving self-reliance through localised manufacturing, innovation, and job creation. By reducing dependency on imports and increasing export capabilities, the industry will continue to fuel industrial growth while enhancing the nation’s global competitiveness.

The Union Budget 2025-26 is a statement of intent for the future of India. Through strategic investments and visionary policies, the country is positioning itself to harness the power of technology, infrastructure, and human capital, creating a robust foundation for long-term growth. There’s a sense of optimism in the air as the budget lays the foundation for India’s transformative leap — one where our cities don’t just grow but evolve into smarter and more efficient and inclusive ecosystems, addressing the demands of an ever-growing population while ensuring that future generations inherit a thriving nation. 

The foundation has been laid. The vision is clear. The opportunities are endless. It’s time for us to join forces and support India in unlocking new opportunities for growth and global leadership.