Budget 2026: From paper stacks to pixels - When India’s budget went digital

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1, a key event for markets, businesses, and households for tracking tax changes, spending plans, and economic signals. The Union Budget sets the government’s economic direction for the year ahead. It answers how it plans to grow the economy, support citizens, and manage public finances.

For many years, the Union Budget was associated with bulky files and printed documents. On Budget Day, stacks of papers were circulated in Parliament, and detailed Budget books were printed in large numbers. However, that tradition has now changed.

When did the Union Budget go paperless?

India’s Union Budget became paperless in 2021-22. That year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman carried the Budget documents in a tablet wrapped in a traditional red cloth (bahi-khata), and all Budget documents were shared electronically instead of in printed form.

Why was this change needed?

The immediate reason was the COVID-19 pandemic, which made physical handling of documents difficult. But the decision went beyond health concerns. Printing Budget papers every year required large amounts of paper, time, and money. Moving to a digital format made the process faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly. The paperless Budget also matched the government’s push towards digital governance, where information is shared online and made easily accessible to citizens.

Can citizens access the paperless budget?

Budget documents are available on the Union Budget mobile app and official government websites. Members of Parliament and the public can read, download, and share the documents instantly. This has made the Budget more accessible, especially for students, researchers, and businesses.

Did the change in format also change the process?

While the format changed, the budget process did not. The Budget is still presented in Parliament, debated by lawmakers, and examined line by line. Budget secrecy is also maintained, and the documents are released only after the Finance Minister completes the speech.