Budget 2026: Nirmala Sitharaman’s record 9th speech runs 1 hr 25 minutes. Check the duration of longest, shortest speeches

New Delhi, Feb 1 – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget on Sunday, February 1, 2026, marking the second Budget of the Modi government’s third term. Her speech lasted approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes, striking a balance between detailed policy announcements and concise delivery.

Sitharaman also holds the record for delivering the longest Budget speech in India’s parliamentary history. On February 1, 2020, her address spanned 2 hours and 42 minutes, introducing major reforms such as a new income tax regime and the proposed initial public offering of the Life Insurance Corporation.

Midway through that marathon speech, she felt unwell, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read out the final two pages on her behalf. This surpassed her previous record of 2 hours and 17 minutes in 2019. By contrast, her 2024 interim Budget speech was just 56 minutes—the shortest of her tenure.

Budget 2026-27: Longest and shortest speeches so far

For perspective, former Finance Minister Hirubhai Muljibhai Patel holds the record for the shortest Budget speech in India, delivering the 1977 interim Budget in just 800 words. In terms of longevity, former Prime Minister Morarji Desai presented the most budgets in independent India, totaling ten between 1959 and 1969. P Chidambaram delivered nine, and Pranab Mukherjee eight. With Sunday’s address, Nirmala Sitharaman now matches Chidambaram’s tally, reinforcing her place among India’s most experienced Finance Ministers.

Analysts note that the 2026 speech, while not a record-breaker in duration, effectively communicated policy priorities—from digital infrastructure and fiscal consolidation to inclusive growth—without overstaying its welcome, striking a balance between accessibility and depth for lawmakers, markets, and citizens alike.