Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday offered dahi cheeni to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as she arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a traditional and auspicious beginning to Budget Day.
The customary ritual of offering curd and sugar is regarded as a symbol of good fortune and a positive start. The gesture took place during Sitharaman’s customary meeting with the President before she heads to Parliament to present the annual financial statement.
Traditional Ritual Before a Key Parliamentary Moment
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was also present during the meeting. The Finance Minister was seen briefly discussing the broad contours of the Budget proposals with the President, in keeping with long standing parliamentary practice.
Earlier, Sitharaman was spotted carrying her trademark bahi khata, a digital tablet wrapped in a red cloth bearing the national emblem, a visual that has become synonymous with her Budget presentations over the years.
She was accompanied by senior officials, including Chief Economic Adviser Dr V Anantha Nageswaran and Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes Ravi Agrawal, underlining the importance of the day for the finance ministry.
Ninth Consecutive Budget Sets New Milestone
Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget at 11 am in the Lok Sabha, equalling the record held by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and surpassing the tally of Pranab Mukherjee. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai continues to hold the overall record for presenting the highest number of Union Budgets.
During the session, Sitharaman will table the estimated receipts and expenditure for the financial year 2026 27. She will also lay two statements under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003, including the Medium term Fiscal Policy statement and the Macro economic Framework statement. The Finance Bill 2026 will also be formally introduced.
Economic Survey Sets the Context
Last week, the Finance Minister tabled the Economic Survey for 2025 26 in Parliament, continuing the tradition of presenting the government’s assessment of the economy ahead of the Budget. Prepared by the Department of Economic Affairs under the Chief Economic Adviser, the survey offers a detailed review of economic performance and outlines the rationale behind forthcoming fiscal choices.
The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days and conclude on April 2, with a recess scheduled from February 13 to March 9 for scrutiny of Demands for Grants by parliamentary committees.
