Budget 2025: All About The Economic Survey — Check When It Is Presented
India's Economic Survey is released a day before the budget announcement. This year, it is scheduled to be out this Friday, Jan. 31.
The country has set its eyes on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's eighth consecutive budget speech for fiscal 2026, due Saturday. Also anticipated is the past year's economic survey, which is usually released a day before the Budget.
What is the Economic Survey? When is it announced? What all does this document have? How is it relevant?
Here's everything you need to know.
India's Economic Survey is a report prepared by finance ministry's department of economic affairs every year under the supervision of the country's chief economic advisor and is released a day before the budget announcement. This year, it is scheduled to be out this Friday, Jan. 31.
The report consists of a detailed analysis of India's economic performance over the past financial year, covering sectors like agriculture, finance, services, and infrastructure. The report also has finance ministry's analysis on various economic indicators, including employment and climate, along with its outlook.
It is divided in two parts. Part A generally consists of the major economic developments in the year and a broad review of the economy. The second part covers specific issues like social security, poverty, education, healthcare, human development, and climate.
The survey usually has a broader theme. This year it'll be deregulation, Chief Economic Advisor, V Anantha Nageswaran, had said at Assocham’s Bharat@100 Summit Fuelling Bharat's Global Rise.
"With respect to job creation, policy can do more in terms of deregulation. We still have on our statute books, rules and regulations by states that prohibit women from engaging in certain occupations because they are being dangerous," Nageswaran said.
After the government released GDP data for the second quarter of the fiscal 2024-25, the CEA had said the government must use the "disappointing" figures to double down on deregulation and enhancing states' expenditure capacity.
The last economic survey, published in July 2024, picked up from interim period in the previous year's February and highlighted that “the Indian economy is on a strong wicket and stable footing, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges”. It emphasised India’s sustained post-Covid recovery, stable inflation, and a positive investment climate driven by both the public and private sectors.
