FM Nirmala Sitharaman to resume pre-Budget consultations with industry stakeholders from November 18

Starting on November 18, the Ministry of Finance will continue its pre-Budget consultations for the Union Budget 2026–2027, hosting a week-long series of discussions with representatives from important economic sectors.The discussions are aimed at capturing industry expectations as preparations for next year’s Budget intensify.

According to the schedule, the opening day will begin with back-to-back meetings with capital-market participants, startup founders and representatives from the manufacturing sector. The sessions are part of the ministry’s wider engagement to gather inputs from sectors that have seen strong activity through the year.

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On November 19, the consultations will move to the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, followed by the information technology industry. Hospitality, tourism and labour representatives will meet the Finance Minister on November 20, while infrastructure, energy and urban development stakeholders will take part in discussions on November 21.

The final session, scheduled for November 26, will involve internal officers and social-sector representatives, marking the conclusion of this phase of talks.

First round held last week with economists and MSMEs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held the first round of pre-Budget meetings last week, starting with leading economists.

Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran and senior officers from the Department of Economic Affairs attended the session, which focused on macroeconomic priorities, growth strategy and fiscal planning for the upcoming year.

The minister also chaired a separate consultation with stakeholders from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials from the MSME Ministry were present at the meeting, where the discussions centred on credit access, compliance reforms and sector-specific needs.

With multiple rounds of consultations underway, the Ministry of Finance is expected to incorporate sectoral feedback as it frames the direction of the Union Budget 2026–27.