Union Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament on February 1, which will be a Sunday. This will be the second time in recent history that the Union Budget is tabled in the Parliament on Sunday. In 1999, then FM Yashwant Sinha presented the budget on February 28, which was a Sunday. According to PTI, citing officials, President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of both Houses on January 28, when the Budget Session of the Parliament will start.\
According to predictions from the American auditing firm, Ernst and Young, the Union Budget 2026 should continue with growth-focused policies, greater tax certainty and targeted sector-led investments, amid an uncertain global economic environment. The firm noted that the upcoming Budget will play a critical role in sustaining India's growth momentum while balancing fiscal discipline with long-term competitiveness.
Budget 2026: Full Schedule
- January 29: The two Houses will meet for the Beating Retreat ceremony.
- January 30: The Economic Survey is likely to be tabled.
- January 31: Both Houses will be adjourned.
- February 1: The Union Budget will be tabled in Parliament.
- February 1–13: Discussions will take place on the Union Budget.
- February 13: Parliament will adjourn for nearly a month. The adjournment in the Budget session allows department-related standing committees to examine demands for grants of Union ministries and departments.
- March 9: Parliament will reconvene.
- April 2: Discussions will conclude.
Note: The standard practice of adjournment during the Budget session is on a Friday. However, keeping in mind Good Friday on April 3 and the subsequent weekend, the session could conclude on April 2, officials said.
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Why Is February 1 Chosen As The Standard For Presenting The Union Budget?
Before 2017, the Union Budget was presented on the final day of February, a schedule inherited from the British era. This led to administrative delays as approvals were not completed before the start of the new fiscal year on April 1. Parliament had to pass a temporary “Vote on Account” to cover government expenses for the first quarter.
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To address this, former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the presentation date to February 1 in 2017. This ensures that the full budgetary process is completed before the new financial year begins, allowing departments to receive full allocations from Day One.