Over the years, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget Day attire has consistently highlighted regional handloom weaves and traditional textile art from across India. Here is a year-by-year guide to the sarees she has worn for each Budget presentation.
For the Union Budget 2026 presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a handwoven Kanjeevaram silk saree from Tamil Nadu, continuing her tradition of highlighting India’s rich handloom heritage on Budget Day. The maroon-purple saree featured subtle golden checks and a brown border, showcasing the timeless craftsmanship and cultural legacy of Kanjeevaram silk.
For the Union Budget 2025 presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore an off-white saree adorned with Madhubani artwork from Bihar, paired with a gold-toned border. The saree was gifted to her by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a renowned Madhubani artist, during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute.
For the full Union Budget presented in July 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore an off-white Mangalagiri handloom saree from Andhra Pradesh, featuring a coloured border.
For the Union Budget 2023 presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a red South Indian silk saree featuring a traditional black-and-gold temple border, a design closely associated with classical South Indian handloom traditions.
For the Union Budget 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a Bomkai handloom saree from Odisha, known for its intricate woven borders and traditional motifs that originate from the Ganjam region.
For the Union Budget 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a Pochampally ikat saree from Telangana, distinguished by its geometric patterns created using the traditional resist-dye technique applied to yarns before weaving.
For the Union Budget 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a bright yellow silk saree paired with a contrasting border, keeping the look simple yet striking.
For her first Union Budget presentation in 2019, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a pink Mangalagiri saree with a gold border. The occasion also marked a symbolic shift from the traditional Budget briefcase to the Indian-style bahi-khata.