Budget 2026 Expectations Live Updates: The countdown to Budget 2026 has already started as the biggest business event of India is only a few weeks away. This is the 88th Budget that will be presented in the Parliament since India gained its independence. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Budget 2026 on 1 February, Sunday.
This is the first time that the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday. Budget 2026 is the second full-year budget of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government 3.0, as well as FM Sitharaman’s ninth Budget.
What to expect from Budget 2026?
Ahead of Budget 2026, experts and stakeholders across industries have put forward their expectations from the government. Sectors like real estate, defence, aviation, education, export and jewellery among others are counting on FM Nirmala Sitharaman to open up her purse for their benefits. Along with this, taxpayers are also expecting more income tax reforms, after the government in the last Budget made huge changes to the new tax regime, effectively making the income tax nil for those earning below ₹12 lakh per annum.
Budget 2026 is expected to focus on key sectors like railways, MSMEs, defence, infrastructure, and green energy. It is also expected to carry forward the consumption push of last year.
On 1 February, Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth Budget — just short of the record created by Moraji Desai where he announced 10 budgets. Sitharaman is the only finance minister of India to present nine budgets in a row.
Follow along for Budget 2026 expectations LIVE Updates to know what the industry wants from the government.
