Seven out of ten Indians who need mental health care will never receive it and Union Budget 2026 tells us why. Mental health in India has always existed under-recognised. I say this because everyone knows mental health matters, yet few seek help or feel truly supported when they struggle. Over the years, conversations around anxiety, burnout, depression, and suicide have slowly entered public discourse. This conversation became especially significant especially after the pandemic. But access to care, trained professionals, and even basic awareness remain uneven and deeply unequal.