Halwa Ceremony 2026: Union Finance Ministry Marks Final Countdown to Union Budget 2026-27

The Halwa Ceremony is a traditional ritual conducted by the Union Finance Minister of India to mark the final stage of the Union Budget preparation. In this ritual, a large quantity of “halwa” (a traditional Indian Dessert) is prepared in a massive vessel.

This ceremony begins when the Finance Minister stirs the halwa, which is then distributed to ministry officials and staff. This ritual is held to show gratitude to all the officials and staff who contributed their hard work in preparing the Budget.

The Union Budget 2026-27 is about to be released on February 01, 2026. This year, the Halwa Ceremony was held Today, January 27, 2026, at North Block, indicating the final stage of Union Budget 2026 preparations.

This tradition triggers the legendary “lock-in” period, where more than 100 finance officials take part with total isolation, no phones, no internet, and no family interaction. This is done to ensure 100% secrecy until the Budget is presented on February 1st.

The recent press release reads, “The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Union Budget 2026-27, was held today in the Budget Press at North Block, in the presence of Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary.”

This year at the Halwa Ceremony, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman joined with senior ministry officials and staff closely involved in budget-making.

The Union Budget 2026-27 is scheduled to be presented in parliament on February 01. The finance ministry disclosed that all the documents related to the Budget, like the Annual Financial Statement, Demand for Grants, and Finance Bill, will be made available online. These documents can be accessed in two languages, i.e., English and Hindi, at the Budget Mobile App after the Budget speech of the Finance Minister on February 01.