On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reassured investors of his administration’s steadfast dedication to reforms and consistent policymaking, emphasizing his commitment to streamlining regulations, supporting first-time women entrepreneurs, and integrating businesses into global supply chains.
Speaking at a post-budget webinar attended by Cabinet members, senior officials, policymakers, and experts, Modi highlighted India’s growing reputation as a dependable, resourceful, and resilient partner amid a volatile global geopolitical landscape.
The webinar focused on key areas such as exports, investment, ease of doing business, and the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. He noted that the first full budget of his third term, unveiled last month, surpassed expectations by introducing significant measures to enhance manufacturing and boost exports.
The Union Budget for FY26 outlined a robust capital expenditure of ₹15.5 lakh crore and launched a manufacturing mission aimed at improving the ease and cost of doing business. Modi emphasized that India’s policy consistency over the past decade has fostered financial discipline, transparency, and inclusive growth, instilling renewed confidence in the industrial sector. “I assure stakeholders in manufacturing and exports that this continuity will persist in the years ahead,” he said.
Modi spotlighted the Jan Vishwas Act, which has slashed over 40,000 compliance requirements at both central and state levels to ease burdens on businesses. He announced that this effort would continue with the upcoming Jan Vishwas 2.0 initiative.
A committee has been established to overhaul regulations in the non-financial sector, aiming to make them modern, flexible, citizen-friendly, and trust-based. The Prime Minister encouraged stakeholders to pinpoint obstacles and propose simplification measures.
Amid global supply chain disruptions caused by conflicts in Europe and West Asia, Modi underscored India’s role as a resilient growth engine for the world economy. He urged stakeholders to identify new products that could be manufactured in India to meet global demand for high-quality, reliable supplies.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the success of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which targets 14 key sectors. Initially launched in March 2020 with three sectors and later expanded to 11 more, the ₹1.97 lakh crore initiative has attracted over 750 units, with investments exceeding ₹1.5 lakh crore, production surpassing ₹13 lakh crore, and exports topping ₹5 lakh crore. Modi cited this as evidence of entrepreneurial potential when opportunities are provided.
Turning to MSMEs, which he described as the backbone of India’s industrial and manufacturing growth, Modi noted significant policy updates. In 2020, under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” package, the MSME definition was revised for the first time in 14 years.
The investment limit for micro units was raised to ₹1 crore with a turnover cap of ₹5 crore, while small units were redefined at ₹10 crore investment and ₹50 crore turnover, and medium units at ₹20 crore investment and ₹100 crore turnover.
By June 1, 2020, medium enterprises’ limits were further increased to ₹50 crore investment and ₹250 crore turnover. The FY26 Budget, presented on February 1, 2025, proposed raising these thresholds by 2.5 times for investment and 2 times for turnover.
Modi also pointed out that MSME loans have surged from ₹12 lakh crore a decade ago to ₹30 lakh crore today. He reiterated the budget’s pledge to provide ₹2 crore loans to 500,000 first-time women entrepreneurs, as well as those from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, and called for a mentorship program to support these beneficiaries.
