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India Pulse | January 27, 2026: Your Daily Digest of India's Governance, Progress, and Vision
Harrdiip Bedii
The India Pulse Newsletter for January 27, 2026 covers Budget Session of Parliament beginning January 28, Rajnath Singh chairing all party meeting ahead of Budget Session, Union Budget 2026-27 Halwa Ceremony held, Germany calling EU-India deal growth driver, new UGC guidelines to address caste-based discrimination assured not to be misused by Centre, government allocating Rs. 32 thousand crore for water conservation across country, BRO conducting high-altitude rescue and restoring Chatergala Pass after heavy snowfall, Operation Sindoor strengthening India's operational readiness per Rajnath Singh, Dr Jitendra Singh reaffirming government's unwavering support for scientific research, and fishing sector boost through Smart Harbour Project clearance in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
NEWS IN DETAIL
Budget Session of Parliament Begins Jan 28
The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on January 28, 2026 with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses.
The Economic Survey will be tabled on January 29, 2026 and the Budget will be presented on February 1, 2026.
The first phase of the budget session will be held from January 28, 2026 to February 13, 2026. The second phase will take place from March 9, 2026 to April 2, 2026. There will be 30 sittings during the Budget Session.
Rajnath Singh Chairs All Party Meeting Ahead Of Budget Session
The Union Government on Tuesday convened the all Party Meeting ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament at the Parliament House Annexe.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting. Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha J P Nadda, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and Dr L Murugan were present at the occasion.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Leader Tiruchi Shiva, Trinmool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose, and Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav attended the meeting, among others.
The budget Session of Parliament will begin January 28, 2026 and will continue till April 2, 2026 with one break.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kiren Rijiju said that the first part of the Budget Session will have a motion of thanks on the President’s address, and later discussion on the Budget will be held in both the houses. Mr Rijiju requested all the parties to cooperate in running the session smoothly.
Union Budget 2026-27: Halwa Ceremony Held
The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Union Budget 2026-27, was held on Tuesday in the Budget Press at North Block, in the presence of Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary.
The ‘Halwa ceremony’ precedes the ‘lock-in’ of the officials involved in preparation of the Union Budget. The Union Budget 2026-27 will be presented on February 1, 2026.
At the Halwa Ceremony, the Union Finance Minister was accompanied by the Secretaries of all the Departments under the Ministry of Finance and other senior officers involved in Budget preparation.
As part of the ceremony, the Union Finance Minister also took a tour of the Budget Press and reviewed the preparations, besides extending her best wishes to the entire budget team.
All Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill etc. will also be available on the “Union Budget Mobile App” for hassle-free access of Budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the general public in a digital accessible mode. The App is bilingual (English & Hindi) and will be available on both Android and iOS platforms. The App can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in).
The Budget documents will be available on the Mobile App and the website after the completion of the Budget Speech by the Union Finance Minister in Parliament on February 1, 2026.
Germany Calls EU-India Deal ‘Growth Driver’
Germany welcomed Tuesday a massive trade deal signed by the European Union and India, saying it could support growth at a time of increasingly challenging ties with other major economies.
Lars Klingbeil, Germany’s finance minister and also vice chancellor of Europe’s biggest economy said that this agreement will create new opportunities for growth and good jobs, in Europe and India alike, while deepening the strategic partnership with the world’s largest democracy.
He also added that the deal opens a new chapter in European trade policy. Country’s crucial auto industry, which is set to benefit from reductions in auto tariffs, cheered the deal.
The European Union is India’s one of the largest trading partner with a combined market estimated at over USD 24 trillion, bringing unparalleled opportunities for the 2 billion people of India and the EU.
The landmark India–European Union Free Trade Agreement was announced on Tuesday at the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi.
Calling it a historic agreement, PM Modi said that it will make access to European markets easier for our farmers and small industries. PM Modi emphasised that this FTA is not just a trade agreement but a new blueprint for shared prosperity.
EU Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen labeled it the mother of all deals, forming a free trade zone for two billion people with tariff reductions on over 90% of EU goods to India, saving billions annually.
New UGC Guidelines To Address Caste-Based Discrimination Will Not Be Misused, Assures Centre
The Union Government has assured that the new University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines are to address caste-based discrimination on campuses and it will not be misused.
Talking to media on Tuesday, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, this is the responsibility of Centre, State governments and UGC, to ensure no misuse of the law in the name of discrimination. The Minister said, the matter is under the supervision of the Supreme Court and all actions will be carried out within the ambit of the Constitution.
Earlier in a regulation issued on 13th of this month, the UGC stated that higher education institutions are required to set up Equal Opportunity Centres, Equity Committees, grievance redressal systems and round the clock helplines to address caste based or any form of discrimination.
According to the Government, these measures aim to create safer, more inclusive learning environments for all students and to strengthen anti-discrimination framework.
‘Government Allocates Rs 32 Thousand Crore For Water Conservation Across Country’
The Union Government has allocated 32 thousand crore rupees for water conservation across the country. Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said this while interacting with Water and WASH Warriors in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The Minister noted that 65 per cent of MGNREGA funding will be utilized in critical or dark zones for water conservation or water-related works.
On river conservation, Mr Patil said that 15 pollution abatement projects were completed this year under the Namami Gange Mission.
Under the mission, Uttar Pradesh is leading with six projects, followed by Bihar with four and West Bengal with three. He added that 37 lakh water harvesting structures have been completed so far, with a target of one crore structure this year.
Noting the contributions of water warriors in water conservation, sanitation, and Ganga rejuvenation, he said that community participation is the foundation of sustainable water management.
On the occasion, the Minister inaugurated 25 new centres under the Jalaj Livelihood Mission, taking the total to 51. He also launched youth for Ganga and Youth for Yamuna Mission.
BRO Conducts High-Altitude Rescue, Restores Chatergala Pass after Heavy Snowfall
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) successfully carried out a high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation under Project Sampark at Chatergala Pass, situated at an altitude of 10,500 feet on the Bhaderwah–Chatergala axis in the Jammu region of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The route had been disrupted due to heavy snowfall on January 23, 2026.
The snow-clearance operation was undertaken by the 118 Road Construction Company (RCC) of 35 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF), which commenced work on the morning of January 24. Despite extreme weather conditions, the team worked continuously for nearly 40 hours, clearing around 38 kilometres of road buried under five to six feet of snow.
The road was reopened by the evening of January 25, enabling the safe evacuation of 20 stranded civilians and 40 troops of 4 Rashtriya Rifles, along with their weapons and essential stores. The entire rescue mission was completed by 02:30 AM on January 26 without any casualties.
The operation, carried out in close coordination with the Indian Army, highlighted the professionalism, dedication and operational readiness of BRO personnel working in some of the most challenging high-altitude terrains. The successful restoration of the route ensured the re-establishment of vital communication links in the region.
Operation Sindoor Strengthens India’s Operational Readiness: Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated that indigenous systems of the country are strengthening India’s operational readiness.
Addressing the felicitation ceremony of DRDO scientists in New Delhi, the Minister said DRDO’s technology was effectively used on the battlefield during Operation Sindoor.
He said, research and development played a vital role in strengthening the nation’s security framework by developing advanced technologies.
Mr Singh added that self-reliance has become a national mindset and DRDO is reflecting the rapid transformation of the defence sector. The Minister further said that over the past decade, the government’s self-reliance efforts have led to an increase in defence exports, from one thousand crore in 2014 to twenty-four thousand crore rupees.
Furthermore, emphasising the need to increase its export, the Defence Minister said that the country aims to achieve the goal of 50 thousand crore of export by 2029-30.
Dr Jitendra Singh Reaffirms Govt’s Unwavering Support For Scientific Research
Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday reaffirmed the government’s unwavering support for scientific research, innovation, and capacity building that strengthen the country’s global scientific footprint and contribute to national development.
The Minister said this while addressing an interactive meeting with special guests, including scientists and startup representatives in New Delhi, who attended the Republic Day celebrations.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Jitendra Singh said the practice of inviting eminent academics, scientists, doctors and innovators as Special Invitees for Republic Day events has been initiated over the past few years on the personal initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the objective of honouring intellectual excellence and providing national visibility to India’s knowledge creators.
He said this convention reflects the Prime Minister’s intent to accord due respect to the scientific and academic community and offer them an opportunity to engage with national institutions at the highest level. Reaffirming the government’s commitment, he said sustained support for research, innovation and capacity building remains central to strengthening India’s global scientific footprint and national development.
Fishing Sector Boost: Government Clears Smart Harbour Project In Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The Union Government has approved a 200-crore-rupee project to develop a smart and integrated fishing harbour at Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The project will be fully funded by the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. The harbour will provide safe facilities for 430 fishing vessels and handle nearly 10,000 tonnes of fish annually.
It will promote sustainable fishing, better fish handling, improved safety and digital tracking, while also generating employment and boosting fisher incomes.
The government said the project will help unlock the fisheries potential of the islands and support India’s target of achieving one lakh crore rupees in seafood exports by 2030-31.