Budget 2021: Protectionist ways not enough, need infra push, say experts

Say India needs to bring down import duties over time

As India goes increasingly protectionist to make the country self-reliant, experts have cautioned that the Budget should not look inwards by introducing measures such as Customs duty hikes, but instead boost infrastructure for domestic manufacturing.

At a time when India prepares its Budget, which, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, will be one like “never before”, there are apprehensions the Centre may resort to further duty hikes, like in the past, and, at the same time, shore up its coffers when the pandemic has dwindled its revenues.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in its representation to the finance