Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her 9th consecutive Union Budget today in the presence of both Houses of Parliament. Budget 2026 has been described as the most crucial in recent years as it will be presented amid global economic uncertainty created by US President Donald Trump’s tariff shocks. Reports suggest that this Budget will be presented with an aim to keep the Indian economy in the “Goldilocks” zone of high growth and low inflation.

The Finance Minister will start her Budget speech at 11 am and, unlike previous budgets, Part B of the Budget will be in focus. Part A of the Budget usually mentions the planned initiatives and sectoral strategies, while Part B discusses both short-term and long-term goals.

Where to watch Budget live?

The Budget speech can be seen on the Fortune India YouTube channel. Visit our website for detailed coverage of Budget 2026. The Budget speech will also be available live on official government channels, including Sansad TV and DD News.

Key priorities of Budget 2026

According to experts, creating jobs and boosting India’s GDP growth are expected to be the main focus of Budget 2026. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also likely to push for higher government spending on infrastructure and bring changes to import and export policies.

This comes at a time when private investment in the economy fell to its lowest level in a decade in the year ended March 31, 2024, according to ICRA. To make up for this slowdown, the government raised its capital spending by 30% in FY24.

For the common man, who has already seen some income tax and GST relief in the current financial year, there could be more benefits. These may include a higher standard deduction under the new tax regime and the option of joint income tax return filing for couples.

‘Dahi-cheeni’ tradition

Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu offered “dahi-cheeni” (curd and sugar) to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Rashtrapati Bhavan before the presentation of the Union Budget 2026. The traditional and auspicious gesture marked the start of Budget Day during Sitharaman’s meeting with the President.