New Delhi, February 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday morning, upholding the long-standing protocol before she presents her record ninth consecutive Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. The visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan serves as the official precursor to the formal presentation of the government’s financial roadmap for the 2026-27 period.
The Finance Minister was joined by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and senior ministry officials during the brief audience with the President. Following the meeting, the delegation moved to Parliament to secure Cabinet approval for the document. The Budget is expected to focus heavily on fiscal discipline and shielding the domestic economy from shifting global trade dynamics and international tariffs.
Before her arrival at the President’s residence, Sitharaman appeared outside Kartavya Bhavan with her core team of secretaries. Clad in a magenta silk saree, she carried the digital budget tablet encased in its signature red pouch featuring the national emblem. This “bahi-khata” format has become a hallmark of her tenure, replacing the colonial-era briefcase since 2019.
“The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, along with the Minister of State and senior officials, called on the President before the presentation of the Union Budget,” an official statement from the President’s office noted. The session in the Lok Sabha will reveal the specific reforms designed to maintain India’s current growth momentum amidst a complex global landscape.
