Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has signalled further customs tariff rationalisation in the Union Budget 2027-28 as the government seeks to simplify India’s tariff structure and facilitate trade. Speaking at the CD Deshmukh Lecture 2026 organised by NCAER, Sitharaman said the government would continue pruning customs duties and reducing the number of tariff slabs. She indicated that, barring a few items, the tariff structure could move to single-digit levels, highlighting the government’s continued focus on making India’s trade regime simpler and more competitive.