Nirmala Sitharaman set for record ninth budget amid strong industry optimism

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to create history by presenting her ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, 2026 , a feat unmatched by any of her predecessors. The Budget for 2026–27 comes amid global geopolitical uncertainty , with expectations of reforms to sustain growth while maintaining fiscal discipline.

With this presentation, Sitharaman moves closer to the all-time record of 10 budgets delivered by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai . Former finance ministers P. Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee presented nine and eight budgets respectively , while Manmohan Singh delivered five consecutive budgets between 1991 and 1995. Sitharaman, however, holds the unique distinction of presenting the most consecutive budgets , having delivered eight so far under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including an interim budget in February 2024.

India’s first full-time woman finance minister , appointed in 2019, Sitharaman retained the portfolio after the Modi government’s third term began in 2024. She also holds the record for the longest budget speech at two hours and 40 minutes in 2020, while the shortest 800 words was delivered by Hirubhai Mulljibhai Patel in 1977.

As Parliament’s budget session begins on January 28, industry sentiment remains upbeat . A FICCI pre-budget survey shows nearly 80 per cent of respondents confident about India’s growth prospects , with over half expecting GDP growth of 7–8 per cent next year, in line with the NSO’s estimate of 7.4 per cent growth in FY 2025–26 .

Industry expects the government to balance growth with prudence, with the fiscal deficit likely to remain near 4.4 per cent of GDP , and a continued focus on capital expenditure , particularly in infrastructure and logistics.

Employment generation , higher allocations for skill development , stronger export support , and policy thrust for strategic sectors such as electronics, defence, renewable energy, EVs, semiconductors, healthcare and education are among key expectations.

Overall, stakeholders hope the Union Budget 2026–27 will reinforce growth, boost jobs, strengthen exports, and preserve macroeconomic stability , consolidating India’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.