FM Sitharaman To Resume Pre-Budget Consultations From Nov 18: Sectoral Meetings Lined Up

The Finance Minister will resume its pre-Budget consultation from Nov. 18, engaging with a series of stakeholders as part of preparations for the Union Budget 2026–27. The first day of consultations will begin with representatives from the capital markets, followed by a session with startups, and will conclude with discussions involving the manufacturing sector.

These interactions are expected to highlight issues related to market depth, funding access, regulatory simplification and opportunities for scaling domestic production. On Nov. 19, the consultations will shift to representatives from banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI) and the information technology (IT) sector.

The meetings are likely to cover credit flows, financial stability, fintech regulation, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and policy enablers needed to sustain the momentum in India’s technology-driven industries.

The discussions on Nov. 20 will focus on two key service segments—hospitality and tourism, followed by a meeting with labour unions. Stakeholders from these sectors are expected to raise matters related to post-pandemic recovery, demand creation, skill development, wage structures and social security frameworks.

On Nov. 21, the Finance Minister will engage with stakeholders from infrastructure and energy, as well as urbanization experts. These sessions are likely to emphasise long-term capital requirements, green transition pathways, public-private partnerships, city planning, mobility, housing and municipal financing.

The consultation process is expected to conclude on November 26, with meetings involving social sector representatives and Internal Officers. With February 1 falling on a Sunday, there is growing chatter that the Union Budget may be presented either on January 31 or February 2.

No final decision has been taken, but officials in policy corridors indicate that all pre-Budget consultations have been advanced to keep room for a possible shift. Historically, whenever the Budget date has coincided with a Sunday, the presentation has been moved to the preceding day.

The upcoming meetings follow a series of earlier consultations. Last week, Finance Minister Sitharaman held a pre-Budget interaction with leading economists. The meeting was attended by Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, along with several economists and senior officers from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). This session was followed by a consultation with representatives from the agriculture sector, who raised concerns related to productivity, market linkages and rural incomes.