Union Budget 2026-27: When and where to watch it live

Check date, timing, and where to stream Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech

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Forbes India
Last Updated: Jan 31, 2026, 15:21 IST2 min
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Nirmala Sitharaman–Finance Minister | Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth budget on February 1. She has been serving as finance as well as the corporate affairs minister since 2019. Sitharaman, who entered national politics in 2008, also served as the defence minister between 2017 and 2019, becoming the first woman to hold that post full time. She holds a BA in Economics from Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College and an MA & MPhil in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Photo by Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Nirmala Sitharaman–Finance Minister | Nirmala Sitharam...
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for financial year 2026-27 (FY27) in Parliament on February 1. The speech, which marks her ninth consecutive Budget presentation, will outline the government’s tax proposals, spending plans and fiscal strategy for the year ahead.

The Union Budget is the government’s annual financial statement. It sets out how much the Centre plans to spend and earn in the coming financial year, along with tax proposals, borrowing plans and sector-wise allocations.

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Presented in Parliament by the Finance Minister, the Budget includes changes in direct and indirect taxes, spending on infrastructure and welfare programmes, and the government’s fiscal deficit and debt targets. After the speech, detailed documents are tabled and later voted on by Parliament through the Finance Bill and Appropriation Bill.

When is the Budget speech?

  • Date: Sunday, February 1, 2026
  • Time: 11:00 am
  • Venue: Lok Sabha, Parliament House, New Delhi
This is the first time in recent history that the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday.

Where to watch on TV

The live telecast will be available on Doordarshan and Sansad TV. Broadcast coverage typically starts shortly before the Finance Minister rises to speak in the Lok Sabha.

How to watch it live

The presentation will be broadcast live on Doordarshan and Sansad TV. The official live stream will also be available on Sansad TV and Press Information Bureau (PIB) YouTube channels, as well as on the Union Budget portal at indiabudget.gov.in.

Most news websites will also carry live blogs and real-time highlights alongside the official video feed.

Live updates can also be followed on the Forbes India website during and after the speech.

What is the Economic Survey?

The Economic Survey is a pre-Budget report card on the economy, prepared by the Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs. It reviews growth, inflation, trade, investment, jobs and public finances in the current year and outlines key risks and trends.

It does not announce policy or tax changes but provides the data and analysis that set the context for the Budget. The Survey is usually tabled in Parliament a day or two before the Budget speech.

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Economic Survey tabled in Parliament

This year, the survey, tabled on January 29, said India’s external sector has remained resilient despite global trade tensions and tariff measures by major economies.

India’s total exports stood at about $825 billion in FY25. In the first nine months of FY26, merchandise exports grew 2.4 percent year on year, while services exports increased 6.5 percent. The services surplus helped keep the current account deficit at around 0.8 percent of gross domestic product in the first half of FY26.

The Survey reported volatile portfolio flows and a balance of payments deficit of about $6.4 billion in H1 FY26, funded through foreign exchange reserves. The rupee weakened against the dollar during the period, which it described as an orderly adjustment.

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AI Council, growth outlook, US tariffs: Key takeaways from Economic Survey

Gross foreign direct investment inflows increased year on year, though net FDI was partly offset by higher overseas investments by Indian firms. The Survey also cited ongoing trade diversification through agreements and negotiations with the United Kingdom, European Union, Oman, New Zealand and the United States, and flagged risks to remittances from tighter global immigration rules.

What happens after the FM's speech?

Once the address concludes, the full speech replay and detailed Budget documents, including tax proposals and expenditure statements, are published on official government portals. Parliament then takes up discussions, committee scrutiny and voting on the Finance Bill and Appropriation Bill before the proposals become law.

Read Forbes India's complete Budget 2026-27 coverage here

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First Published: Jan 31, 2026, 15:21

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