Sitharaman to present Economic Survey 2025-26 report today:She will table it three days early this time, instead of 31 January

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2025-26 report in parliament on Thursday, 29 January, 2026. It is usually presented 24 hours before the Budget Day. The report contains various economic data, such as the GDP growth rate, inflation, etc., highlighting the country’s economic situation. The last survey (2025-2026) estimated India’s GDP grow rate at 6.3%-6.8%, emphasising that in order to make India a developed nation by 2047, it would need to achieve an economic growth rate of 8% for the next one to two decades. What is economic survey? It is the country’s annual economic report card presented a day before the budget. It also highlights the challenges, and offers suggestions for improvement in the coming year. Who prepares the economic survey? It is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance every year. The Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), V. Anantha Nageswaran, currently leads this division. Why is the survey important? The survey is a barometer of the economy. It reveals the state of the country’s economy and what needs to be done to improve it. Is it mandatory to present it? The government is not obligated to present the survey or to accept the suggestions or recommendations given in it. However, the government usually prepares the budget in accordance with its suggestions. First survey was presented in 1950-51 The country’s first Economic Survey was presented in 1951. At that time, it was a part of the Union Budget. Since 1964, it has been presented separately in parliament one day before the budget day.