New Delhi, Feb. 25 -- Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday the government's goal is to completely remove the fear of a "tariff wall" around the Indian market, but it has to be carefully calibrated and cannot be a hurried exercise.

Speaking at Business Standard Manthan, 2026, the minister said the government has carefully analysed the tariff protection given to individual sectors, how long it was given and the extent of domestic production capabilities developed before lowering tariffs in the Union Budget 2026-27.

"The goal is to completely remove this fear of tariff wall, but I cannot harm our own industries in a rush to complete," she said. "Our approach to tariff rates is meticulous and not a one-size-fits-all s...