Archive · 15 Jan 2026
Budget 2026: Key Dates, Expectations, and Highlights
The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman, will present the Budget for the year 2026 on February 1st at 11 am.
This is the first time the budget will be presented on a Sunday.
The Parliament's Budget Session will start on January 28th, and the President will speak to both houses of Parliament on that day.
Many people are waiting to see what the budget will include, as different industries have their own hopes and needs.
The government may allocate around Rs 2.90 lakh crore for the highways sector, reflecting a cautious approach amid slower fund utilization.
The budget is important because it includes plans for spending and taxes for the next year.
It will be the ninth consecutive budget presented by Sitharaman, and the second full budget of the current government's third term.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly will also begin its budget session on January 20th, with the state budget to be presented on January 29th.
Budget 2026 will be presented on 1 February 2026 at 11 am by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, marking the first time the Union Budget is presented on a Sunday.
The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on 28 January 2026 with an address by President Droupadi Murmu.
The government may allocate around Rs 2.90 lakh crore for the highways sector, reflecting a cautious approach amid slower fund utilization.
The upcoming Budget may announce policy and procedural measures aimed at speeding up clearances for projects under Build-Operate-Transfer (BoT), Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT), and PPP frameworks.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's budget session will commence on 20 January 2026, with the state budget to be presented on 29 January 2026.
- Who
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
- What
- Presentation of Budget 2026
- When
- 1 February 2026 at 11 am
- Where
- Lok Sabha, Parliament of India
- Why
- To address economic needs, boost growth, and outline fiscal policies
- Date
- 1 February 2026
- Time
- 11 am
- Presenter
- Nirmala Sitharaman
- Session Start
- 28 January 2026
- President's Address
- 28 January 2026
- Confirmation Source
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
- Historical Context
- First time on a Sunday
- Economic Survey Date
- 31 January 2026
- Session End
- 2 April 2026
- Highways Outlay
- Rs 2.90 lakh crore (proposed)
- PPP Project Pipeline
- 13,400 km, Rs 8.3 lakh crore
- Fiscal Deficit Target (FY26)
- 4.4% of GDP
- GDP Growth Target (FY26)
- 7.4%
- Capital Expenditure (FY26)
- ₹11.21 lakh crore (3.1% of GDP)
- Kerala Budget Session Start
- 20 January 2026
- Kerala Budget Presentation
- 29 January 2026
Sources
Budget 2026 Expectations LIVE: Will Nirmala Sitharaman open her purse to boost growth? What industries want
Amid Global Risks How Will India's Equity Market Fare In 2026?
Budget 2026: Key dates to keep in mind as FM Sitharaman prepares to present Union Budget soon
Union Budget 2026: What is the Economic Survey? All you need to know about key document
Budget 2026: Highways outlay may rise marginally to Rs 2.90 lakh crore
Kerala: Budget session to begin on Jan 20
India’s GDP growth pegged at 7.5–7.8% in FY26; Deloitte flags moderation in FY27
Budget 2026: Fiscal deficit, income tax slabs to capex - 5 key things to watch out for in Nirmala Sitharaman's speech
Kerala: Budget Session To Begin On January 20, 2026
Budget 2026 Expectations Live Updates: Key sectors eye tax relief, policy clarity and fiscal signals
Stock Market Highlights 14 Jan: Sensex, Nifty extend losses for second day; weighed down by weakness in IT and select banking blue-chips, besides continued foreign fund outflows
With Bengal polls approaching, Mamata’s interim budget triggers expectations of welfare push
Tax planning 2026: How salaried staff can pay zero tax on income more than Rs 14 lakh under New Tax Regime
Union Budget 2026: Fiscal Deficit, IT Slabs to Capex, 5 Key Aspects to Watch Out For
FinMin has moved, but printing of Budget in North Block
