How it Works
WPP, Havas, Omnicom: Are advertising’s biggest holdcos recasting agencies as AI Operating Systems?
Budget 2026: From mobile phones to cancer drugs, here’s what gets cheaper and costlier
The finance minister’s ninth Union Budget brings relief across healthcare, electronics, and clean energy, while select products see a price hike.
Budget 2026 Impact: Cheaper Medicines, Electronics, Solar Panels; Alcohol Costs Rise
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget, setting the stage for changes that will directly impact household expenses. As with every Budget, consumers are closely tracking which everyday items will become more affordable and which will pinch pockets.
Addressing Parliament, Sitharaman said sports equipment will become cheaper, offering relief to athletes and fitness enthusiasts. She also announced that medicines used in the treatment of diabetes and cancer will see price reductions, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on patients and families.
A number of commonly used products are expected to become more affordable following customs duty and policy changes announced in the Budget.
Items that are set to get cheaper include:
- Leather products, benefiting both consumers and domestic manufacturers
- Mobile phones and electric vehicle batteries, supporting India’s electronics and clean mobility push
- Microwave ovens, offering relief on household appliances
- Seventeen cancer medicines, aimed at making critical healthcare more accessible
- Solar panels, reinforcing the government’s focus on renewable energy adoption
Overall, Budget 2026 delivers targeted consumer relief in key areas such as healthcare, electronics, and clean energy, while maintaining higher taxation on select discretionary items.
SPOTLIGHT
From purpose-driven work and narrative-rich brand films to AI-enabled ideas and creator-led collaborations, the awards reflect the full spectrum of modern creativity.
Read MoreStoryboard18 Awards for Creativity assemble India’s most prestigious jury
The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity have unveiled a Grand Jury comprising some of India’s most influential leaders across advertising, business, policy and culture, positioning it among the country’s most prestigious creative award platforms.