All Set for Feb 1: Nirmala Sitharaman to Present Union Budget 2026 On Sunday After Parliament Calendar Cleared

Union Budget 2026-27 will be presented on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 11 am, creating a rare weekend sitting of Parliament. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will deliver the 88th Union Budget since Independence, and the ninth in a continuous series, as policymakers work with a projected 7.4% real GDP growth rate for FY 2025-26.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has cleared the full schedule for the Budget Session. The President's joint address will start proceedings on January 28, 2026, followed by the tabling of the Economic Survey on January 29, 2026, ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27 presentation.

Key dates and events for Union Budget 2026-27

Major milestones around Union Budget 2026-27 have been fixed early, giving clarity to businesses, lawmakers, and markets. The financial year for which these proposals are being framed will begin on April 1, 2026, covering tax and expenditure plans for FY 2026-27.

The main events linked to Union Budget 2026-27 are summarised below in tabular form, outlining the formal opening of Parliament, the presentation of the Economic Survey, and the Budget speech. These dates help corporates and analysts plan scenario exercises, based on expected policy and tax signals.

Event	Date
Budget Session begins / President's address	January 28, 2026
Economic Survey tabled in Parliament	January 29, 2026
Presentation of Union Budget 2026-27	February 1, 2026 (Sunday, 11 am)

Macroeconomic framework for Union Budget 2026-27

The government’s First Advance Estimates, released on January 7, are shaping the macroeconomic framework for Union Budget 2026-27. These estimates project real GDP growth at 7.4% in FY 2025-26, stronger than the 6.5% expansion recorded in the previous financial year, despite global uncertainties and tariff war pressures.

These First Advance Estimates traditionally guide the core Budget calculations, including revenue forecasts, expenditure envelopes, and fiscal deficit targets. For Union Budget 2026-27, they provide the base for tax assumptions and departmental allocations for the year beginning April 1, 2026, and help frame expectations for public investment and welfare spending.

Political and leadership context of Union Budget 2026-27

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to become the first finance minister to present nine consecutive Union Budgets, further lengthening the tenure among India’s longest-serving finance ministers. This sequence brings Sitharaman close to Morarji Desai, who presented 10 Budgets in total, spread across two terms in office between 1959 and 1969.

Morarji Desai delivered six Budgets during 1959-1964 and four more between 1967 and 1969. Among later finance ministers, P Chidambaram presented nine Budgets, while Pranab Mukherjee delivered eight across different governments. Nirmala Sitharaman became India’s first full-time woman finance minister in 2019, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term began.

Since 2017, the Union Budget date has been brought forward from February 28 to February 1. This shift enables a faster rollout of Budget proposals at the start of the financial year. The 2026-27 exercise maintains this schedule while adding the distinctive feature of a Sunday session for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

With the session calendar confirmed, Union Budget 2026-27 will combine a rare Sunday sitting, Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth straight Budget, and decisions framed around a 7.4% growth outlook. Lawmakers, investors, and young professionals will now watch how these numbers and milestones shape tax changes and spending priorities for FY 2026-27.

FAQs

When will Union Budget 2026-27 be presented, and what is notable about the session timing?

It will be presented on February 1, 2026 at 11 am, marking a rare weekend sitting of Parliament.

What historic streak is associated with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in presenting Budgets?

She is delivering her ninth consecutive Budget, approaching the record set by Morarji Desai, and she is India's first full-time woman finance minister.

What are the key pre-budget dates leading up to the Budget 2026-27?

The sequence starts with the President's address on January 28, followed by the Economic Survey on January 29, and the Budget presentation on February 1.

What macroeconomic forecast is guiding the Budget for 2026-27?

The First Advance Estimates project 7.4% real GDP growth for FY 2025-26, which informs revenue, expenditure, and fiscal targets for the year beginning April 1, 2026.

How does the 2026-27 Budget schedule differ from previous years regarding session days?

The schedule retains February 1 as the Budget date but introduces a Sunday session for both Houses of Parliament.