India, Jan. 27 -- Final preparations for the Union Budget 2026-27 commenced with the Halwa ceremony held on January 27, attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary.

This ceremony marks the start of the 'lock-in' period for officials involved in the Budget preparation, during which they are cut off from outside contact to ensure confidentiality.

The Union Budget is set to be presented in Parliament on February 1. The government announced that all Budget documents will be available digitally, including the Annual Financial Statement, Demand for Grants, and Finance Bill, accessible via the Union Budget Mobile App in both English and Hindi after the Finance Minister's speech on February...