In an earlier article (“History doesn’t end today, our old compass has run its course”, IE, December 31, 2025), we examined India’s policy challenges in an unsettled global environment. This article revisits that framework. Assessing the Union Budget against the templates we had outlined, we find that it has been marked by much greater openness to recognising trade as an engine of growth. The Finance Minister’s mantra this year has been capital, technology, and export competitiveness. This philosophy was behind the trade agreements with the EU and the UK, as well as Australia, the UAE and Oman. Global Trade and Geopolitical Challenges Yet, geopolitical uncertainty has intensified debates on inflation and growth, capital flows, currency management, and India’s attractiveness as an investment destination.