Longest Continuous Tenure as Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget on Sunday, marking an unprecedented milestone in India’s parliamentary history. With this, she becomes the longest serving Finance Minister to hold the office continuously.Sitharaman assumed charge of the Finance Ministry on May 31, 2019, and has remained at the helm through a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and global geopolitical disruptions. Her tenure has coincided with India emerging as the fastest growing major economy in the world.
By January 31, 2026, Sitharaman completes six years and eight months in office. The upcoming Union Budget will be her ninth in a row, a record not previously achieved by any Finance Minister.
Prime Minister’s Remark Ahead of Budget Session
Ahead of the Budget Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget presentation as a moment of pride for the country’s parliamentary tradition.How Sitharaman Compares With Past Finance Ministers
While several leaders have presented the Union Budget multiple times, none have done so in consecutive years at this scale.Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai presented the Budget on ten occasions, though not consecutively. P Chidambaram presented the Budget nine times across different stints.
Among those with long continuous tenures, C D Deshmukh served for about six years and two months starting June 1, 1950. Manmohan Singh was Finance Minister for nearly five years between 1990 and 1996, and later briefly held the Finance portfolio while serving as Prime Minister in 2008 and 2012.
Other Finance Ministers with extended but non consecutive tenures include Pranab Mukherjee, Arun Jaitley, Y B Chavan and Yashwant Sinha.
A Historic Chapter in India’s Budget Legacy
The first Finance Minister of independent India was R K Shanmukham Chetty. Over the decades, the role has seen several long serving leaders, but Sitharaman’s uninterrupted run and ninth straight Budget places her in a unique position in India’s fiscal and parliamentary history.Disclaimer: Due care and diligence have been taken in compiling and presenting news and market-related content. However, errors or omissions may arise despite such efforts.
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