Days before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget, a small yet significant ritual takes place behind closed doors of the Finance Ministry - the Halwa Ceremony.
The traditional ceremony is held annually at North Block to mark the final stage of preparation before the Budget is presented in Parliament on February 1.
What is Halwa Ceremony?
The halwa ceremony is held every year, roughly a week prior to the official Budget presentation. During the ceremony, a huge batch of halwa is made in a large iron pot, called a kadhai.
As per tradition, the Finance Minister stirs the kadhai first, and then the sweet dish is served to the staff who worked on the Budget.
The purpose of the ceremony is to mark the beginning of the final stage of the Budget process, especially the process of printing the Budget.
The halwa ceremony is not just a ritual but it also marks the start of a "lock-in" for the Budget. This means that the Budget is kept completely secret for the next few days so that no details get leaked to the public before it is officially presented in Parliament.
What Happens In The Lock-In Period?
During the lock-in phase, the Finance Ministry officials and staff face limited phone access, no external communication, and increased security measures to prevent important financial information from leaking. The officials are not allowed to leave the ministry building and stay inside the North Block until the Budget is officially presented in Parliament.
In order to maintain confidentiality, the officials are also required to cut off contact with their families and the outside world.
Union Budget 2026
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on Sunday, February 1. It is the second full-year Budget of the Narendra Modi government's third tenure.
