Budget 2026 Expectations: Balancing Old and New Income Tax Regimes in India

As India's Budget 2026 approaches, taxpayers remain divided between the old and new income tax regimes. The old regime offers multiple deductions benefiting salaried individuals with planned expenses but involves complexity. The new regime simplifies compliance with lower rates but lacks inflation indexing and limits deductions, reducing its appeal. Experts anticipate no major tax slab changes this year, focusing instead on stability and incremental improvements to encourage adoption of the new regime among middle-class taxpayers.