Fiscal Deficit

Fiscal Deficit is the gap between the Government of India's total expenditure (excluding borrowings) and its total receipts (excluding borrowings) in a financial year. In simple terms, it is how much the central government needs to borrow in a year to fund what it spends in excess of what it earns.

Formula: Fiscal Deficit = Total Expenditure - (Revenue Receipts + Non-debt Capital Receipts)

It is almost always quoted as a % of GDP because the absolute number (Rs lakh crore) is not directly comparable across years given changing economic size.

Example: Union Budget FY26 estimates central government expenditure at Rs 50.65 lakh crore, total receipts (excluding borrowings) at Rs 35.85 lakh crore. Fiscal Deficit = Rs 14.80 lakh crore. If projected nominal GDP is Rs 326 lakh crore, Fiscal Deficit = 4.5% of GDP.

Why fiscal deficit matters:

• Government borrowing programme: The deficit is funded mostly through G-Sec auctions. A higher deficit means more supply of bonds, which pushes yields up (prices down).
• Crowding out: Heavy government borrowing can leave less capital for private-sector investment at competitive rates.
• Sovereign rating: Persistent high fiscal deficits weigh on India's sovereign credit rating (currently BBB- area), which affects FII flows and external borrowing costs.
• Monetary policy interplay: A high deficit + high inflation forces RBI into more hawkish stance.

FRBM Act: The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 sets a glide path for reducing the fiscal deficit. The post-Covid target is to reach below 4.5% of GDP by FY26 and continue lowering thereafter.

Related concepts:

• Revenue Deficit: Revenue Expenditure minus Revenue Receipts — measures the "current-account" portion of the gap.
• Primary Deficit: Fiscal Deficit minus interest payments — measures the structural gap excluding interest legacy.

Related: GDP, Current Account Deficit, YTM, SLR.

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