More Stories

Informist, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

NEW DELHI – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 (Apr-Mar) in the Lok Sabha on Feb. 1, the finance ministry said Monday. This will be her ninth Budget, bringing her level with former finance minister P. Chidambaram. Only one former finance minister has presented more Budgets--the late Morarji Desai. He presented 10 Union Budgets in all.

Significantly, the Budget will be presented on a Sunday for the first time. Sitharaman will begin her speech at 1100 IST, the ministry said.

Sitharaman's ninth Budget assumes special importance from a fiscal policy perspective as the government is transitioning from one fiscal consolidation metric to another. The government has projected its fiscal deficit for FY26 at 4.4% of GDP, marking the last leg of the fiscal consolidation roadmap before it shifts to targeting the debt-to-GDP ratio from FY27.

According to the Budget document for FY26, the government aims to keep its fiscal deficit from FY27 at a level where its debt as a percentage of GDP will be on a declining path. Its target is to bring the Centre's debt to 50% of GDP, plus or minus 1%, by FY31. Government debt is projected to reach 56.1% of GDP at the end of FY26.

The 16th Finance Commission's report--which was presented to the President on Nov. 17--will also be tabled in Parliament on Feb. 1, to be taken up for consideration during the session. The commission, chaired by economist Arvind Panagariya, was tasked with determining the formula for states' share of central taxes and grants-in-aid for five years starting FY27.

The Budget comes at a time when the economy is dealing with multiple exogenous pressures, which has made it imperative for the government to continue with measures to support domestic growth. The economy is expected to grow 7.4% in FY26, as per the first advance estimate released Wednesday by the statistics ministry. Economists expect the momentum to continue in FY27.

The Budget Session will be held from Jan. 28 to Apr. 2, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Friday. It will begin with the president's address to a joint sitting of both Houses. The finance minister traditionally presents the Union Budget on Feb. 1. The Economic Survey is generally presented a day prior to the Budget presentation.

Parliament will adjourn for a recess on Feb. 13 to enable the various standing committees to examine demands for grants and make reports relating to their departments. Parliament will reconvene on Mar. 9. The session will end on Apr. 2.

During the first part of the Budget Session, the two Houses will discuss the motion of thanks to the president's address, followed by a discussion on the Union Budget. In the second part, the major focus will be on demands for grants for ministries, apart from the government's legislative agenda.  End
 

Reported by Priyasmita Dutta

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.