Union Budget 2025-26 Benefits for Exporters, Manufacturers, Traders, and Industries

Exporters: Enhanced Incentives and Infrastructure

Tax & Duty Reforms

• SEZ/EOU Benefits:
  • Corporate tax reduced to 15% (from 25%) for new SEZ manufacturing units (extended to 2026).
  • RoDTEP Scheme Expansion:
    • Additional 1,500+ tariff lines covered, including handicrafts, textiles, marine products, and leather (total outlay: ₹21,000 crore).
    • Duty remission rate increased to 3-5% (from 2-3%) for MSME exporters.
• Customs Duty Relief:
  • Zero customs duty on critical inputs for electronics, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy exports.

Logistics & Infrastructure

• Port Modernization:
  • ₹12,000 crore allocated for Sagarmala Phase 2 (5 new smart ports, 25 coastal zones).
  • Target: Reduce export logistics costs from 14% to 8% of GDP by 2030.
• E-Commerce Exports:
  • ₹1,000 crore for E-Commerce Export Hubs in 12 states (Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka prioritised).
  • Simplified customs clearance for shipments < ₹5 lakh.

Digital Integration

• National Digital Export Platform (NDEP):
  • Single portal for ICEGATE, DGFT, and GSTN integration.
  • Real-time tracking, automated refunds, and AI-driven market insights.

Manufacturers: PLI Expansion and Green Transition

Production-Linked Incentives (PLI)

• New Sectors Added:

• Existing PLI Enhancements:
  • Electronics: Additional ₹5,000 crore for semiconductor fabrication (3 new fabs approved).
  • Pharma: ₹2,000 crore for vaccine R&D and bulk drug parks (3 parks in HP, Gujarat, Telangana).

MSME Support

• Credit Guarantee Scheme:
  • ₹50,000 crore for tech upgrades and sustainability projects (e.g., solar adoption).
  • 7-year moratorium on principal repayment for green manufacturing loans.
• Interest Subvention:
  • 5% subsidy on loans up to ₹ two crore for MSMEs adopting IoT/Industry 4.0 tech.

Green Manufacturing Initiatives

• Green Hydrogen:
  • ₹19,500 crore for the National Green Hydrogen Mission (target: 5 MMT production by 2030).
  • There will be a tax holiday for 10 years for hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing units.
• Circular Economy:
  • ₹6,000 crore for auto, electronics, and textiles recycling infrastructure.

Traders: GST Reforms and Digital Trade

Ease of Compliance

• GST 2.0 Reforms:
  • Auto-populated GST returns for businesses with turnover < ₹5 crore.
  • Composite scheme threshold raised to ₹1.5 crore (from ₹1 crore).
• Customs Modernization:
  • AI-driven risk management reduces clearance time to <24 hours (from 72 hours).
  • 50% reduction in documentation for intra-ASEAN trade.

Agriculture & Agri-Trade

• e-NAM Expansion:
  • ₹2,000 crore to integrate 1,000 new mandis and enable direct farmer-trader transactions.
  • Zero mandi tax for certified organic produce.
• Cold Chain Infrastructure:
  • ₹3,500 crore subsidy for cold storage units in 15 agro-climatic zones.