The Sovereign Gold Bond scheme, launched in 2015 to reduce physical gold imports, is expected to be discontinued in the 2025-26 financial year as the government aims to lower its debt-to-GDP ratio. A senior official indicated that the scheme has "outlived its purpose," adding to fiscal burdens due to repayment obligations and interest payments. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to detail the debt reduction strategy in the upcoming FY26 Budget, with projections showing a decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio from 58.2% in FY24 to 56.8% in FY25.