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Preparations for the Union Budget 2026 have entered their final stage. On February 1, 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget in Parliament at 11:00 AM. Today, this timing feels completely normal. However, there was a time when India’s Union Budget was presented in the evening, not in the morning.

The shift from evening to morning was not a minor change. It marked the end of a long-standing colonial-era practice and reflected India’s move toward making administrative decisions based on its own priorities.

Why Was the Budget Earlier Presented in the Evening?

For nearly 53 years after independence, the Union Budget was presented at 5:00 PM. This tradition was inherited from British rule. During the colonial period, the timing of the budget was aligned with the convenience of the British administration.

When it was 5:00 PM in India, it was 11:00 AM in the United Kingdom. Presenting the budget at that time allowed officials in London to follow developments easily. Even after independence, this outdated practice continued for decades without serious reconsideration.

Why Did the Tradition Continue for So Long?

Despite gaining political freedom, many administrative systems remained unchanged. Budget timing was one such example. Over time, the relevance of aligning India’s financial decisions with British working hours became meaningless.

Yet, traditions often persist longer than their usefulness. It took more than five decades for policymakers to question whether this system served India’s interests.

The Historic Change in 1999

The colonial-era tradition finally ended in 1999. During the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha took a bold step by presenting the Union Budget at 11:00 AM.

This move was symbolic as well as practical. It signaled that India’s financial decisions would now be structured around domestic administrative needs rather than foreign time zones. Since then, presenting the budget in the morning has become the standard practice.

Why Morning Timing Makes More Sense

Presenting the budget at 11:00 AM allows lawmakers, analysts, and stakeholders the entire day to debate and understand policy announcements. Markets, industries, and policymakers also get sufficient time to respond to key measures on the same day.

More importantly, the change reflects a mindset shift — decisions are now made keeping India’s governance structure in mind, not historical legacies.

Budget Date Change: Another Major Reform

Not just the timing, the date of budget presentation also witnessed a significant change. Until 2017, the Union Budget was traditionally presented in the last week of February. This delay often resulted in late implementation of schemes and tax changes.

To address this issue, the government decided to advance the budget date. In 2017, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that the Union Budget would henceforth be presented on February 1 every year.

Purpose Behind Advancing the Budget Date

The objective was to ensure that policy announcements, allocations, and tax changes could be implemented from the beginning of the new financial year in April. This reform helped improve administrative efficiency and reduced delays in execution.

A Shift Towards Efficient Governance

Today, the Union Budget being presented on February 1 at 11:00 AM reflects India’s evolving governance approach. These reforms have made the budget process more transparent, timely, and effective, ensuring better alignment with the country’s economic and administrative needs.