Union Budget 2025: Date, Time, and How to Watch Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Speech Live

Pic/PTI

Annually, the government at the Centre presents the union budget for the upcoming fiscal year, outlining the estimated government expenditure and revenue. This year, the Union Budget for 2025-26 will be presented by the finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Lok Sabha on 1 February 2025 at 11 am.

This will be her eighth budget presentation, consisting of six annual and two interim budgets. Being the second full-fledged budget of the Modi government in its third term, the Union Budget 2025 holds great importance as it addresses pressing economic issues while aligning with the government's long-term vision.

To watch the live presentation of the budget:

Television: The budget speech will be broadcast live on DD News and Sansad TV.

YouTube: Live streams will be available on the channels of DD News, Sansad TV, the Ministry of Finance, and the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Budget Components

The union budget is divided into two parts:

Revenue Budget: Includes the government's estimated receipts and expenditure on day-to-day operations, such as salaries, subsidies, and interest payments.

Capital Budget: Covers the government's estimated receipts and expenditure on long-term assets, including infrastructure, defence, and investments in public sector enterprises.

Key Focus Areas

The Union Budget 2025 is expected to centre around the themes of 'Amrit Kaal' and 'Viksit Bharat', with a focus on:

Income Tax Relief: Expectations for revisions in income tax slabs with a focus on the middle-class taxpayer, and relief to taxpayers with an annual income of ₹15 lakh and below.

Sector-Specific Allocations: Enhanced allocations are likely to be provided to the health and education sectors, focusing on the strengthening of public health infrastructure.

Support for Electric Vehicles: Expectations of incentives that will drive domestic manufacturing, along with infrastructural support, for the electric vehicle industry.

Stock Market Operations

The Indian stock markets, NSE and BSE, will operate as usual during the Union Budget 2025 announcement:

Equities: 9 am to 3:30 pm

Commodities: Until 5 pm

This ensures that investors can respond promptly to any announcements made during the presentation.

Parliamentary Budget Session

The parliament's budget session is scheduled as follows:

Phase 1: January 31 to February 13 2025

Phase 2: March 10 to April 4 2025