'Will be historic': Rijiju as Union Cabinet approves Budget 2026-2027
01 Feb 2026

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha at 11:00am on Saturday.

The presentation was preceded by a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after which the Union Budget 2026-2027 was approved.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has called it "a historic budget," adding that PM Modi's "Reform Express" will continue its journey toward Viksit Bharat (developed India).

'dahi-cheeni' ritual performed
Budget tradition

Ahead of the presentation, President Droupadi Murmu performed the auspicious "dahi-cheeni" ritual for Sitharaman at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

This traditional gesture is believed to bring good luck and is done by the President at the start of important events.

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was also present during this meeting with President Murmu.

Sitharaman to present 9th consecutive Union Budget
Budget presentation

Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget, equaling former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's record and surpassing that of Pranab Mukherjee.

She will also introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, which gives legal effect to the government's financial proposals.

The budget session will have 30 sittings over 65 days and end on April 2.

Economic survey tabled in parliament on Thursday
Pre-budget survey

On Thursday, Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey of India for 2025-26 in Parliament.

The survey, regarded as the nation's annual 'report card,' is a comprehensive review of the economy's performance over the past year and sets a roadmap for future policy direction.

It analyzes past economic performance to justify future government spending, taxation, and policy measures.