Gender budgeting in India represents a transformative approach to economic planning and public finance that seeks to address the persistent gender inequalities embedded within society. The concept of gender budgeting is rooted in the recognition that women, despite being half of the population, have historically faced systemic exclusion from economic opportunities, social protections, and decision-making processes. By explicitly considering gender perspectives in the allocation of government resources, gender budgeting aims to ensure that women’s needs, priorities, and challenges are adequately addressed in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs. In the Indian context, this approach is particularly significant, given the historical marginalization of women in economic participation and the multiple layers of disadvantage that intersect across class, caste, and regional disparities. The introduction of gender budgeting in India dates back to 2005–06, when the Ministry of Finance initiated a framework to analyze and allocate resources in a manner that promoted gender equality. The primary objective of gender budgeting is not merely to earmark funds for women-specific schemes but to assess the gendered impact of all budgetary allocations. This involves examining how government expenditure, taxation, and financial policies affect men and women differently and ensuring that the benefits of development are equitably distributed. For instance, allocations toward health, education, rural development, and social security schemes are scrutinized for their effectiveness in empowering women and addressing structural inequalities. The adoption of gender budgeting thus represents a shift from traditional budgeting practices that often overlooked the