59% Indians cite rising inflation as their main concern earlier than Union Finances: Kantar, ETCFO
Indian shopper sentiment in 2025 reveals a mixture of declining confidence and evolving expectations. Whereas 67% of Indians perceived the 2024 price range to have aligned with their wants, this quantity has been on a gentle decline since 2022, mentioned Kantar in its Union Finances 2025 survey.
Amid a GDP slowdown, optimism about India’s financial progress has additionally tempered. Shoppers are calling for aid on earnings tax, elevated medical insurance coverage rebates and measures to fight inflation. Whereas considerations over AI misuse and monetary safety are on the rise, fear round financial recession as a result of international conflicts have eased in comparison with final yr.
Most hope for the Union Finances 2025 to deal with stimulating financial progress by introducing protectionist insurance policies that may deal with challenges like sustainable improvement, job creation and excessive price of dwelling. A majority (67%) of Indians believed the 2024 price range met their expectations, nevertheless the proportion of individuals holding this optimistic view has steadily decreased over the previous two years, from 73% in 2022 to 70% in 2023 indicating a gradual decline in public alignment with the price range over time.
“India’s 2025 Union Finances comes at a time of shifting shopper sentiment and evolving priorities. Whereas 67% Indians felt the final yr’s price range aligned with their wants, this sentiment has progressively declined over the past three years, coinciding with a slowing GDP. With inflation and monetary safety considerations on the rise, residents are in search of tax aid, enhanced medical insurance coverage advantages and measures to handle the challenges posed by AI misuse. The upcoming price range represents a chance to handle these challenges and assist India’s financial momentum,” Deepender Rana, Government Managing Director- South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, mentioned.
Amid the latest drop in India’s GDP numbers at 6.4% (down from 8.2% the earlier yr), 53% Indians consider that India’s economic system will nonetheless develop quicker than the earlier years, however this quantity has additionally declined from 57% for 2024.
Indians count on the federal government to offer earnings tax aid for the salaried class, significantly concentrating on middle-income earners within the upcoming union price range rising the fundamental earnings tax exemption restrict from the present Rs3 lakh is the commonest expectation.
Growing commonplace deduction from Rs75000 to Rs1 lakh. Most additionally need both a rise within the threshold restrict of the best tax slab from present Rs15 lakh or a lower within the highest tax price of 30% relevant on earnings over Rs15 lakh.
59% Indians cite rising inflation as their main concern. This quantity can be up from 57% within the earlier yr. Almost 50% Indians are more and more nervous in regards to the misuse of AI, significantly its potential to gas cybercrime and threaten monetary safety.
International considerations over recession and multi-nation conflicts have eased barely, with 44% and 43% of customers expressing fear, down from 48% and 45% in 2024, respectively. In-line with the latest market fluctuations, 62% Indians count on the BSE Sensex to remain between the 81000-90000 vary in 2025.
As India’s start-up and new-age enterprise sector matures, 70% Indians count on the sector’s monetary efficiency to enhance, pointing to a time of consolidation and stabilisation after a interval of fast growth.
India’s transfer in direction of a cashless economic system appears to be on a quick observe, with digital funds (UPI & e-wallets) changing into the norm for 60% of customers for on a regular basis transactions. That is up by 7% over the earlier yr. Issues round local weather change and its affect on the long run is main Indian customers to turn into progressively open in direction of electrical mobility.
Amongst these intending to purchase new autos (both 2W or 4W) put up 2024, a large proportion (59%) are contemplating an EV buy. Private monetary instability, office stress, social media pressures, and cyberbullying are among the many main contributors to psychological stress in India.
Following Donald Trump’s victory within the US elections, 53% of Indians consider it can positively affect India’s exports of services and products, whereas 20% undertake a wait-and-watch method.
