Nirmala Sitharaman Prepares for Historic Ninth Budget Presentation
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth straight Budget on February 1, 2026. This event marks a significant milestone in India's financial calendar. For the first time ever, the Budget presentation will occur on a Sunday, creating a unique moment in parliamentary history.
Budget Day Schedule and Parliamentary Process
Sitharaman will deliver the Budget speech at Parliament at 11 am, following the traditional timing. After her presentation, lawmakers will deliberate the Budget in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions. Parliament members will then decide whether to pass the financial plan for the coming year.
Across India, various sectors and industries anticipate potential boosts for their fields. Many stakeholders await policy announcements that could shape economic directions.
Record-Breaking Achievements of the Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman already holds several notable Budget records. She becomes the only Finance Minister in India to present nine consecutive budgets, breaking her own previous record. Since assuming the finance portfolio in 2019 under the Modi government, she has consistently presented the annual financial statement.
Most Consecutive Budgets
Sitharaman currently holds the record for presenting the most consecutive Budgets in Indian history. She presented eight budgets in a row from 2019 to 2025. With the upcoming presentation, she will extend this remarkable streak to nine years.
Longest Budget Speech
The Finance Minister also holds the record for delivering the longest Budget speech ever. In 2020, her address lasted two hours and forty-two minutes, breaking her own previous record of two hours and seventeen minutes set in 2019.
During that historic 2020 speech, Sitharaman introduced significant reforms including a new income tax regime. She also announced the landmark LIC IPO during that presentation. Midway through her lengthy address, she felt unwell, prompting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to read the final two pages of her speech.
Modernizing Budget Traditions
First Paperless Budget
In 2020, Sitharaman made history by presenting India's first completely paperless Budget. She abandoned the traditional paper documents and instead read her speech from a tablet device. She carried the tablet in a distinctive red pouch, breaking from the colonial-era tradition of using a Budget briefcase.
Introducing the 'Budget Bahi Khata'
During her very first Budget presentation in 2019, Sitharaman replaced the British-style Budget briefcase with a red cloth-wrapped pouch called the 'Bahi Khata'. This symbolic change embraced Indian traditions of financial record-keeping. The red pouch, adorned with the national emblem, represented a shift toward indigenous practices in government finance.
Approaching Historical Milestones
With Budget 2026, Sitharaman moves closer to matching the overall record held by former Finance Minister Morarji Desai. Desai presented ten budgets during his career, though not consecutively. Sitharaman's ninth presentation brings her within one budget of equaling this historical achievement.
The upcoming Budget presentation represents more than just financial planning. It symbolizes continuity in economic policy and modernization of governmental processes. Sitharaman's approach combines respect for tradition with embrace of technological advancement.
As February 1 approaches, all eyes turn toward Parliament where another chapter in India's financial history will be written. The Sunday presentation adds an unusual twist to this annual ritual of democracy and governance.
