How long did Sitharaman's ninth Budget speech last
What's the story
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her ninth consecutive Union Budget for FY 2026-27 on Friday. The speech, which is the third full budget of the Narendra Modi government's third term, lasted around 81 minutes or 1 hour and 21 minutes. She holds the record for the longest budget speech in Indian parliamentary history. During the 2020 Union Budget presentation, her address lasted 2 hours and 42 minutes.
Historical context
2025: 1 hour and 17 minutes
In 2025, her address lasted for 1 hour and 17 minutes, while the full budget speech in 2024 was a little longer at 1 hour and 25 minutes. The interim budget of that year was the shortest she has ever delivered, lasting just under an hour. The 2021 budget speech was a historic moment, as it marked India's first-ever paperless budget. Sitharaman delivered the address using a tablet, which she carried in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch.
Digital shift
2021: Historic paperless budget speech
That speech lasted for 1 hour and 50 minutes and marked a significant shift in the presentation of the budget. In 2020, Sitharaman delivered the longest budget speech in India's history, during which she announced several key reforms, including a new income tax regime and the proposed IPO of Life Insurance Corporation. However, she had to pause mid-way due to ill health and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read out the last two pages on her behalf.
Debut address
2019: First budget speech
Sitharaman's first budget speech in 2019 was among the longest on record, lasting two hours and 17 minutes. The address was delivered in multiple languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Sanskrit. Despite its length, she completed it without taking a break. In terms of longevity, former Prime Minister Morarji Desai presented the most budgets in independent India (10) from 1959 to 1969.