Halwa Ceremony Marks Final Stage of Union Budget 2026 Preparations

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman participated in the traditional 'Halwa' ceremony, signaling the final phase of preparations for the 2026-27 Union Budget.
• The ceremony involves preparing and serving 'Halwa' to Ministry of Finance officials and employees involved in budget creation, followed by a 'lock-in' period.
• Officials are isolated in the North Block basement to maintain confidentiality until the Finance Minister's budget speech in Lok Sabha.
• The ceremony was held at North Block, as its basement houses the printing press, a tradition for 40 years, though the 2026-27 budget will be paperless.
• This will be Nirmala Sitharaman's ninth consecutive budget presentation, with India's GDP growth expected at 7.6% amid global challenges.

Why It Matters: The traditional Halwa ceremony signifies the final, confidential stage of Union Budget 2026 preparations.