Reacting to Mr Chidambaram's budget, Mr Singh described it as "anti-inflationary", voicing hopes that proposed reductions in customs and excise duties would reduce higher prices.

BBC: India's 'left-of-centre' budget

To help them, Mr Vajpayee has offered to cut the excise and customs duties on information-technology-related equipment to close to zero.

ECONOMIST: When India wires up