On February 1, 2026, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will step into Parliament to deliver a moment of rare historical significance. She will present her ninth consecutive Union Budget, becoming the longest-serving finance minister in terms of uninterrupted budget presentations in independent India—and the first woman to achieve this distinction.
More than a numerical record, this milestone reflects continuity, political stability, and sustained economic stewardship at a time when the global economy remains uncertain and deeply interconnected.
A Journey That Began in 2019
Sitharaman’s record-setting run began in 2019, when she was appointed India’s first full-time woman Finance Minister following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisive re-election. Since then, she has retained the finance portfolio through two national elections, including Modi’s third consecutive electoral victory in 2024.
By February 2026, she will have presented eight full Budgets and one interim Budget, all consecutively—an achievement unmatched in India’s post-independence financial history.
Closing in on a Long-Standing Record
While Sitharaman’s ninth Budget is historic, it also places her within reach of a record held for decades by Morarji Desai, who presented 10 Budgets in total across different terms and under multiple prime ministers.
What sets Sitharaman apart, however, is the unbroken continuity of her tenure under a single Prime Minister—an era marked by reform-driven policymaking rather than short-term political shifts.
Other prominent finance ministers have come close:
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P. Chidambaram presented nine Budgets across different governments
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Pranab Mukherjee presented eight Budgets
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Manmohan Singh delivered five consecutive Budgets during the landmark liberalisation phase of the early 1990s
Yet none match Sitharaman’s combination of consecutive presentations, reform continuity, and historical firsts.
Steering the Economy Through Turbulent Times
Sitharaman’s Budgets have been delivered during one of the most turbulent global periods in recent memory. Her tenure has seen:
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A once-in-a-century pandemic
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Global supply-chain disruptions
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Inflationary pressures
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Heightened geopolitical tensions
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Shifting global trade dynamics
Despite these challenges, her Budgets have maintained a consistent focus on structural reforms, capital investment, and macroeconomic stability, while adapting to evolving global realities.
The Evolution of Budget Traditions
The Union Budget itself has undergone significant transformation over the decades.
India’s first Budget, presented by R.K. Shanmukham Chetty on November 26, 1947, laid the groundwork for financial governance in a newly independent nation.
For decades, Budgets were presented at 5 p.m. on the last day of February, a colonial-era practice designed to align announcements with British financial markets. This changed in 1999, when Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha shifted the timing to 11 a.m., making it more relevant to Indian stakeholders.
Another landmark reform came in 2017, when the Budget presentation date was moved to February 1. This allowed sufficient time for parliamentary approval and ensured that policies could be implemented from the very start of the financial year on April 1.
Records That Reflect Changing Times
Sitharaman also holds the record for delivering the longest Budget speech in independent India. Her 2020 speech lasted two hours and forty minutes, underlining the growing complexity and scope of modern fiscal policymaking.
In contrast, the shortest Budget speech—just 800 words—was delivered in 1977 by Hirubhai Mulljibhai Patel, illustrating how the Budget has evolved from a brief financial statement into a comprehensive economic roadmap.
Why the Ninth Budget Matters
The significance of Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget goes beyond historical firsts:
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It underscores political and policy continuity
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It reflects trust in long-term economic planning
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It demonstrates adaptability in the face of global uncertainty
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It highlights the increasing complexity of modern economic governance
Her tenure has balanced reform ambition with fiscal discipline, while responding to crises without losing sight of long-term goals.
What Budget 2026 Is Likely to Emphasise
As Sitharaman prepares to present Budget 2026, expectations are high. The Budget is widely anticipated to:
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Sustain economic growth momentum
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Address external pressures such as higher U.S. tariffs and global trade uncertainty
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Strengthen infrastructure and capital investment
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Support social welfare while maintaining fiscal prudence
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Reinforce reforms aimed at long-term economic resilience
The challenge will be to protect growth without compromising stability—a balance that has become the hallmark of her budgets.
A Chapter Still Being Written
On February 1, 2026, history will acknowledge a record. But the larger story is still unfolding.
Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget is not just a personal milestone—it is a reflection of an era defined by continuity, reform, and resilience. Whether she goes on to equal or surpass Morarji Desai’s record, her place in India’s fiscal history is already secure.
In the end, the legacy of a Budget is not measured by applause in Parliament, but by how it shapes the economy long after the speech concludes.