India’s fiscal deficit rises to 41.9% of full-year target by August

The Centre’s fiscal deficit stood at Rs 7.1 lakh crore, or 41.9 per cent of the full-year target, during April-August 2026, according to CGA data. | Photo Credit: Denis Vostrikov

The central government's fiscal deficit stood at Rs 7.1 lakh crore or 41.9 per cent of full year target at the end of August, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on Wednesday.

The deficit was at 38.1 per cent of Budget Estimates (BE) of 2025-26 during the corresponding period last year.

In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit, or the gap between the government's expenditure and revenue, was Rs 7,10,249 crore during April-August period of the 2026-27.

According to the CGA, the Centre's net tax revenue up to August 2026 was about Rs 8.38 lakh crore, or 29.2 per cent of the corresponding BE of 2026-27 of total receipts,

In the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, the net tax revenue was at 28.6 per cent of that year's BE.

The data on monthly accounts showed that the total expenditure during the first five months was at about Rs 20.78 lakh crore, or 38.9 per cent of BE. In the year-ago period, it was at 37.1 per cent of BE.

The Centre has set a fiscal deficit target of 4.3 per cent of the GDP or Rs 16.96 lakh crore in the current fiscal.

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