Budget preparations enter final phase with Halwa ceremony

The final phase of preparations for the Union Budget 2026-27 formally began with the traditional Halwa Ceremony held at the Budget Press in North Block, New Delhi on Tuesday, January 27, 2025. The ceremony was attended by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. The Halwa Ceremony symbolises the commencement of the ‘lock-in’ period for officials involved in drafting the Union Budget, during which they remain isolated until the Budget is presented. The Union Budget 2026-27 is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament on February 1, 2026. During the ceremony, the Finance Minister was joined by Secretaries of various departments under the Ministry of Finance and senior officials associated with the Budget-making process. Sitharaman also toured the Budget Press to review preparedness and extended her best wishes to the officials working on the Budget. The Budget documents will be accessible on the mobile app and the official website after the Finance Minister completes the Budget speech in Parliament on February 1, 2026.