Sitharaman to focus more on Part B in Budget 2026 speech: Reports

The third Budget of the third Narendra Modi government will be unveiled on Sunday (February 1), and it will be a unique one in many aspects. While it will only be the second time that a budget will be tabled on a Sunday (after Yashwant Sinha’s 1999 document), Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting a record ninth consecutive budget, all under the same prime minister, Narendra Modi.

Part B over Part A?

But the 2026 budget will also be different from all previous ones from another perspective. On Sunday, Sitharaman is likely to present an extensively detailed Part B segment of the financial document in her address, and not Part A, scripting what many expect to be a budget of reforms.

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Traditionally, finance ministers have dedicated more attention to the first part, which generally deals with a review of the state of the economy and outlines broad policy direction. The second part, on the other hand, has remained restricted to announcements on tax and policies and concluding remarks.

Govt to lay out long-term economic vision

According to news reports, the Part B that Sitharaman is expected to reflect upon on Sunday would put a strong emphasis on both short- and long-term goals of the country, outlining the country’s broader economic vision and priorities, as the world enters the second quarter of the 21st century and India nears the centenary of its Independence.

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According to the reports, the Plan B, which is predicted to dominate the finance minister’s latest budget speech, will also put in place a roadmap displaying India’s local strengths globally, underlining India’s current capabilities and its potential in the long run.

Experts will be keen to know India's vision

It is also expected to draw the attention of economists and experts both in India and overseas as eyes will be glued to the broader implications for the economy and policy direction, particularly at a time when the Modi government has tom-tommed about India becoming the third-largest economy in its third tenure, which began in 2024.

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The upcoming budget is expected to be based on cross-sector reforms that eye simplification of regulations, facilitating competitiveness and strengthening domestic manufacturing. It will be closely followed all the more amid a global economic uncertainty and tariff adversity created by Donald Trump’s US.

Part B is also expected to highlight changes to frameworks to create a more integrated and effective ecosystem for both exporters and manufacturers.