Budget 2026 Outlook: High Expectations of Income Tax Rationalisation from Nirmala Sitharaman; Crucial Dates to Watch
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget speech will set the tone for India’s economic priorities, key reforms, and growth measures for the year ahead.
Expectation on the budget 2026:
In less than a week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going to present the Union Budget 2026. Surprisingly, the budget will be tabled on a Sunday, a relatively rare occurrence. Expectations are running high ahead of the finance minister's ninth consecutive budget speech in parliament.
Budget preparation for FY 2026-27 started in August 2025.
Crucial dates:
- On January 28, the budget session of parliament will commence with a joint address by President Droupadi Murmu to both houses.
- On January 31, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran is expected to present the economic survey. The survey provides a comprehensive assessment of the state of the economy and is traditionally tabulated a day ahead of the Union Budget.
- On sunday February 1, at 11 AM, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 in the Lok Sabha at 11 am.
- On February 13, the first half of the budget session will conclude.
- On March 9, the second half of the budget session will commence.
- On the final day, April 2, of the budget session, after which the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be adjourned sine die.
The Union Budget 2026 is set to be a significant event for taxpayers, business and investors with several crucial dates shaping the economy. The priority sector to watch in the budget 2026 is crucial for railways, infrastructure, urban developments, manufacturing, automobiles, electronics, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence, among others.
Additionally, areas such as health care, tourism, agriculture, and logistics are also expected to receive government allocations to support growth and development.
This will mark the second comprehensive budget of the Modi 3.0 government, following the interim budget of 2024 and the full annual budget of 2025.
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