Chennai, Feb 2 : Tamil Nadu BJP spokesman and senior leader A.N.S. Prasad said the Union Budget 2026-27 is a powerful reflection of Indiaâ??s historic economic transformation under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the nationâ??s journey from vulnerability to global leadership.

Recalling the situation in 2013, Prasad said India was then derisively labelled part of the â??Fragile Fiveâ??, a period marked by policy paralysis, corruption scandals, widening fiscal deficits, and shaken investor confidence under the Congress-UPA regime.

â??A decade later, that narrative has been decisively reversed,â?? he said, noting that India is now firmly positioned among the worldâ??s top five economies, with a clear path to climb further.

Referring to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamanâ??s Union Budget 2026-27, Prasad said the phrase â??From Fragile Five to Top Fiveâ?? aptly captures this turnaround.

Citing the IMFâ??s World Economic Outlook (October 2025), he pointed out that Indiaâ??s nominal GDP is projected to reach around $4.51 trillion in 2026, placing it fourth globally.

â??India has already overtaken Japan and is on track to surpass Germany, driven by sustained growth of over 6-7 per cent, strong domestic demand, and restored global confidence in Indiaâ??s economic governance,â?? he said.

Prasad attributed this rise to a decade of bold reforms under the Modi government, including GST, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, Make in India, Digital India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, supported by an unprecedented infrastructure push. These measures, he said, rebuilt economic foundations, strengthened manufacturing, and transformed fragility into resilience.

Highlighting key provisions of the Budget, Prasad said it reflects the essence of the Modi Model -- prioritising growth without imposing new tax burdens on citizens, while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Capital expenditure has been increased to a record Rs 12.2 lakh crore to spur infrastructure, manufacturing, and job creation, even as the fiscal deficit has been reduced to 4.3 per cent of GDP.

He also emphasised the Budgetâ??s strong focus on youth empowerment and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, with targeted support for frontier sectors such as semiconductors, electronics, green energy, biopharma, rare earths, and advanced manufacturing clusters.

Continued emphasis on MSMEs, energy security, legacy industries, and sustainable urban development ensures inclusive and balanced growth.

â??This Budget is more than a financial document,â?? Prasad said.

â??It is a declaration of Indiaâ??s confidence and ambition. The Modi-Nirmala partnership has replaced drift with direction and weakness with strength. India is no longer seeking global approval -- it is shaping the future. The journey from Top Five to Top Three has clearly begun,â?? he said.

/IANS