India's Budget Tradition: From Briefcase to iPad, A Symbolic Evolution

• India's Budget presentation has evolved from a British leather briefcase to a digital tablet, reflecting changing times and national identity.
• The first Finance Minister, R.K. Shanmukham Chetty, adopted the British tradition of carrying budget documents in a leather briefcase.
• In 2019, Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the briefcase with a 'Bahi Khata' (red cloth-wrapped account book), symbolizing a 'Swadeshi' approach.
• By 2021, the budget went completely paperless, with documents presented on a 'Made in India' tablet, combining tradition with technology for environmental benefits.
• Budget 2026 is historic, being presented on a Sunday for the first time in independent India, with special trading sessions on BSE and NSE.

Why It Matters: India's Budget presentation has transformed from colonial briefcase to digital tablet, blending tradition with modernity.