New Delhi, Feb. 27 -- Downplaying the stock market slide on 1 February after the FY27 budget presentation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Union budget is a policy roadmap, not a short-term trading document.

Speaking at a post-budget webinar, Modi said budget reforms and allocations must be seen as a part of a long journey.

"Often, the budget is evaluated on various parameters: sometimes the stock market's movements, sometimes the discussion centres on income tax proposals. The truth is that the national budget is not a short-term trading document; it is a policy roadmap," he said.

Indian stocks tumbled as much as 3% in intraday trading on 1 February after Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a hike ...