Union Budget 2026, Feb. 1 -- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget 2026 speech, announced a proposal to allow foreign individuals to buy Indian stocks directly, with the individual limit raised from 5% to 10% and the aggregate cap from 10% to 24%.

The Budget's increased focus on boosting NRI participation in Indian markets is both timely and strategically significant, especially as FPI inflows have slowed to near recent lows.

By easing participation thresholds under the Portfolio Investment Scheme and increasing overall foreign ownership limits, the measures substantially expand the base of long-term capital accessible to Indian companies.

"The expansion of the Portfolio Investment Scheme for overseas individuals is a mean...