The Finance Ministry will begin pre-Budget meetings for Union Budget 2027-28 on October 12. The Budget Division issued a notice on September 23 setting the timeline. The meetings will be chaired by the Secretary (Expenditure) and will continue till mid-November. All ministries and departments must enter their budget data in the Union Budget Information System by October 6. The exercise will cover the Revised Estimates for 2026-27 and the Budget Estimates for 2027-28. Provisional expenditure ceilings will be indicated to ministries after the discussions. Final ceilings will factor in the government’s priorities and revenue projections. The Budget for 2027-28 is likely to be presented on February 1, 2027. It will be the tenth straight Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The preparations come amid global uncertainty and high food and fuel prices. The government is expected to focus on reforms, job creation and domestic demand. India’s economy grew 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of FY27. Growth for the current financial year is expected to be around 7 per cent.