Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday chaired the third pre-Budget consultation meeting with stakeholders from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in New Delhi, as part of the preparations for the upcoming Union Budget 2026–27.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, and representatives from the Ministry of MSME.
Discussions centered on key challenges faced by the MSME sector, as well as strategies to enhance its growth, productivity, and competitiveness in the evolving economic landscape. Stakeholders shared their inputs on improving access to finance, addressing credit constraints, and promoting digital and technological adoption among MSMEs.
In a post on social media, the Ministry of Finance said, “Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman chairs the third Pre-Budget Consultation with the stakeholders from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (#MSMEs) in connection with the forthcoming Union Budget 2026–27.”
Earlier this week, on Monday, the Finance Minister held the first round of pre-Budget consultations with leading economists in New Delhi. These interactions mark the beginning of a series of meetings the Finance Ministry conducts annually to seek views and suggestions from diverse sectors ahead of the Union Budget.
Pre-Budget consultations are a vital part of the budget-making process, allowing the government to engage with key stakeholders — including industry bodies, trade unions, economists, state officials, and representatives from the social sector — to ensure that the Union Budget reflects broad-based perspectives and sectoral priorities.
The consultations with economists and agriculturists earlier this week formed the first phase of this engagement process, which will continue in the weeks ahead.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget for 2026–27 in Parliament on February 1, 2026, maintaining the annual tradition.