Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to script history on February 1, 2026, when she presents the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time, a feat no other Indian Finance Minister has achieved. With this, she will become the longest continuously serving Finance Minister of India.
Sitharaman assumed office on May 31, 2019, and as of January 31, 2026, she has completed six years and eight months in the role. Her uninterrupted tenure and consecutive budget presentations mark a unique milestone in India’s parliamentary and economic history.
Steering the Economy Through Turbulence
During her tenure, Sitharaman has guided the Indian economy through some of its most challenging phases—most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply-chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and worldwide economic uncertainty. Despite these headwinds, India has retained its position as the fastest-growing major economy, a point frequently highlighted by the government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament, praised her consistent leadership, noting that presenting the budget for the ninth straight time would permanently etch her name in India’s economic history.
How Sitharaman Compares With Past Finance Ministers
While several Finance Ministers have presented the Union Budget multiple times, none have done so nine times in a row.
- Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister, presented the budget 10 times overall, but not consecutively.
- P. Chidambaram presented nine budgets across four separate tenures, with a total Finance Ministry tenure of about eight years.
- C.D. Deshmukh served as Finance Minister for six consecutive years and two months starting June 1, 1950.
- Manmohan Singh served nearly five years as Finance Minister between 1991 and 1996 and briefly held the portfolio again during his time as Prime Minister.
- Pranab Mukherjee served for six years and four months, while Arun Jaitley held the post for four years and eight months, and Yashwant Sinha for four years and four months.
India’s First Finance Minister
R.K. Shanmukham Chetty holds the distinction of being independent India’s first Finance Minister, presenting the country’s inaugural budget in 1947.
A Record Moment
While Morarji Desai still holds the record for the highest number of budgets presented, Sitharaman’s achievement of nine consecutive budgets sets her apart. As she rises to present the Union Budget on February 1, her tenure stands as a defining chapter in India’s economic and parliamentary legacy.