Union Budget 2026: Is this India’s first Sunday budget ? All you need to know about Feb 1 tradition
The Union Budget 2026, to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, has drawn attention as it will be delivered on a Sunday for the first time. The development highlights the evolution of Budget traditions in India, from changes in presentation dates and timings to the shift from colonial-era practices to modern, digital formats.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is all set to present the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday. Over the past eight years, the annual Budget presentations have highlighted India’s evolving fiscal journey and emerging policy trends. February 1 is particularly significant this year as it marks the first time the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday.
This year’s Budget will be Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget, including an interim Budget, making her the first Finance Minister to achieve this milestone. She will also become the first Finance Minister to present the Union Budget on a Sunday.
What all changed in the Union Budget over the years
Until 1999, the Union Budget was traditionally presented on the last working day of February. This convention changed when February 28 fell on a Sunday, prompting then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha to present the Budget a day earlier.
Sinha also altered the long-standing timing of the Budget presentation. Earlier, the Budget was presented at 5:00 pm, a practice introduced during British rule to align with working hours in the UK. By shifting the timing to 11:00 am, the minister ensured the proceedings continued throughout the day in India.
In 2017, the BJP-led NDA government introduced another reform by advancing the Budget presentation to February 1. In 2019, the Centre replaced the colonial-era briefcase with a red cloth folder embedded with the national emblem, reflecting Indian tradition.
'Towards a paperless budget'
From 2021, the traditional bahi khata was replaced with a digital tablet, marking a shift toward paperless budgets.
Independent India’s first Union Budget was presented on November 26, 1947, by the country’s first Finance Minister, RK Shanmukham Chetty. Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 at 11:00 am in Parliament, outlining key fiscal priorities and economic measures for the country.