01 February,2026 06:07 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets President Droupadi Murmu
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday, shortly before presenting the Union Budget 2026.
Ahead of the crucial address, Sitharaman was seen carrying her now-familiar âdigital bahi-khata' - a tablet wrapped in a red cloth embossed with the national emblem - continuing a tradition she has followed since moving away from the colonial-era briefcase.
The upcoming Budget will be Sitharaman's ninth in a row, placing her on par with former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and ahead of Pranab Mukherjee in terms of consecutive Budget presentations. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai continues to hold the all-time record.
As per the Lok Sabha's agenda, proceedings will begin at 11 am. Sitharaman will table estimates of the Union government's receipts and expenditure for the 2026-27 financial year. She will also place before the House two mandatory statements under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 - covering the medium-term fiscal and policy strategy, along with the macroeconomic framework.
In addition, the Finance Minister will seek permission to introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, and formally present it in the Lok Sabha. The Bill is essential to give statutory backing to the government's taxation and spending proposals outlined in the Budget.
Earlier this week, Sitharaman had presented the Economic Survey of India for 2025-26 in Parliament, in keeping with the convention of reviewing the economy's performance ahead of the Budget. The Survey, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Chief Economic Adviser, offers a detailed assessment of economic trends and policy challenges, and is released in two volumes.
Commenting on the Survey, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the First Advance Estimates project real GDP growth of 7.4 per cent in 2025-26, underscoring India's status as the world's fastest-growing major economy for the fourth straight year. He also pointed to easing inflation - estimated at 1.7 per cent during April-December 2025 - and highlighted the government's push to strengthen domestic manufacturing and economic resilience.
The Budget Session of Parliament will run for 30 sittings spread over 65 days, concluding on April 2. Both Houses will adjourn on February 13 and resume on March 9, allowing parliamentary committees to scrutinise the Demands for Grants of various ministries.
The Finance Minister will present her ninth straight Budget, which is expected to unveil measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline, and announce reforms that could buffer the economy from global trade frictions, including US tariffs.
The Union Budget 2026 comes against a complex backdrop. While domestic demand has held up and inflation has moderated from recent highs, global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions, volatile commodity prices and uneven monetary easing by major central banks, continue to cloud the outlook. At home, the government faces pressure to boost consumption, accelerate job creation and step up capital spending, while keeping the fiscal deficit on a downward path.
