What time is Nirmala Sitharaman Budget 2026 speech today?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 today, focusing on job creation, GDP growth, and infrastructure spending.

Updated on: Feb 1, 2026, 08:12:04 IST

By Prakriti Deb

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today, marking her ninth consecutive budget speech, in addition to one interim budget. The budget comes at a critical moment for the Indian economy, when the government looks to sustain strong growth while keeping inflation in check.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and other officials, ahead of the presentation of the ‘Union Budget 2025-26’, in New Delhi. Feb 1, 2025. (Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times)

This comes amid global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions.

What time will the speech go live?

Sitharaman is scheduled to begin her Budget 2026 speech in the Lok Sabha on Feb 1, Sunday, at 11:00 am.

While the budget is presented on this date every year, February 1 this time falls on a Sunday, making the occasion a rare one.

Traditionally, the budget address lasts between 90 and 120 minutes, after which the Finance Bill is formally tabled in Parliament.

Also Read: Number Theory| This year's Budget: What to expect and what not to

Where to watch the Budget speech

Viewers can follow the budget presentation live across multiple platforms:

People can watch live coverage of the Union Budget 2026 on Hindustan Times.com website or the official YouTube channel.
TV Broadcast: The speech will be aired live on Sansad TV and Doordarshan, offering coverage directly from Parliament.
Official Webcast: The government will livestream the speech on budgetlive.nic.in and the India Budget Portal.
YouTube Livestream: Live coverage will also be available on the Sansad TV YouTube channel and the PIB India YouTube channel.

The finance minister is expected to focus on job creation, measures to boost GDP growth, and increased public spending on infrastructure, according to policy watchers. Reforms aimed at easing the import-export framework and supporting domestic manufacturing are also likely to feature prominently.

Also Read: Nirmala Sitharaman to interact with college students on Budget 2026

The government has repeatedly stressed the need to keep the economy in a so-called “Goldilocks zone” of high growth and low inflation despite external headwinds.

The Economic Survey presented on Thursday said it expects real GDP growth in 2026-27 to be around 6.8%-7.2% and the fiscal consolidation strategy is likely to continue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prakriti Deb
Prakriti Deb is a journalist at Hindustan Times Digital, where she is part of the US Desk. She works on stories related to American politics, crime, sports, entertainment and weather. She particularly enjoys covering political developments that have global ripples. Through her work, she aims to break down complex events in a way that feels simple and understandable. Before joining the Hindustan Times, she worked with The Indian Express Digital, where she covered world affairs. She holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication with a specialisation in Journalism, along with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Outside the newsroom, Prakriti enjoys travelling and stepping out of her comfort zone. She finds her sense of being through storytelling in all its forms, including conversations, painting, theatre, dance and photography. She appreciates discussions that challenge her perspective and help her see the world a little differently.Read More

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