Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday, February 1, marking her ninth consecutive Budget in Parliament. While the country listens closely for economic priorities and policy signals, attention also turns to what Nirmala wears on Budget Day, a tradition that has come to symbolise India’s rich textile heritage.
This year, Nirmala will present the Budget wearing a magenta Kattam Kanjeevaram silk saree from Tamil Nadu. The saree features golden checks and a coffee-brown border detailed with intricate threadwork. She has paired it with a plain yellow, full-sleeve blouse.
Kanjeevaram sarees are among India’s most renowned handwoven silks, traditionally worn for weddings and important occasions. Produced in Kancheepuram, these sarees often draw inspiration from temple architecture and classical motifs. The region’s silk weaving tradition dates back several centuries and flourished under the patronage of the Chola rulers between the 9th and 13th centuries, helping the craft achieve lasting prominence.
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The choice of a Tamil Nadu saree is also politically notable, as Tamil Nadu, along with Kerala, West Bengal, Puducherry, and Assam, will go to the polls in the coming months.
Nirmala’s Budget Day attire over the years has reflected a wide range of India’s handloom traditions. Last year, she wore a cream-coloured handloom silk saree with a golden border, paired with a red blouse. The saree featured Madhubani motifs, including fish designs, and was gifted to her by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi from a Dalit fishing community.
During her first Budget presentation in 2019, Nirmala opted for a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders. In 2020, she chose a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders. For the 2021 Budget, she wore a red and off-white Pochampally silk saree from Telangana, featuring ikat motifs on the pallu.
In 2022, Nirmala appeared in a brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha. In 2023, she wore a red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a traditional craft from Karnataka. In 2024, while presenting the interim Budget, she chose a blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal. For the full Union Budget later that year, she wore a white silk saree with a magenta border and golden motifs.
Over the years, her Budget Day saree choices have quietly showcased India’s diverse weaving traditions, turning the Budget podium into an unexpected stage for handloom heritage.
