From briefcase to bahi-khata: How Sithraman moved Budget presentations away from colonial symbols

As India readies for the Union Budget 2026, attention once again turns not only to financial discipline, tax rates and spending priorities but also to a familiar visual that marks Budget Day – the finance minister entering Parliament with a red Budget file. What began as a colonial convention has, in recent years, been consciously reshaped into a distinctly Indian symbol. For decades, Indian finance ministers carried the Budget documents usually in a red leather briefcase, a practice inherited from British parliamentary traditions. The colour red, long associated with authority in the UK, was used to store official financial papers, and the term “Budget” itself traces its roots to the French word ‘bougette’, meaning a small leather bag.That continuity changed in 2019, when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her first Budget carrying a red ‘bahi-khata;’ instead of the traditional briefcase. The bahi-khata, a cloth-bound ledger historically used by Indian traders to maintain accounts, marked a deliberate move away from colonial-era symbolism.The shift was widely interpreted as an attempt to root Budget traditions in Indian culture rather than inherited British customs, signalling a broader effort to Indianise the optics of governance.The symbolism has been retained even as the Budget process itself has modernised. From 2021 onwards, Budget presentations have gone paperless, with the finance minister using a digital tablet instead of printed documents. However, the tablet continues to be carried in a red pouch, preserving the visual ritual associated with Budget Day. This blending of digital tools with traditional imagery reflects a transition in governance – modern in function, familiar in form.Over time, the red Budget file has become more than a document holder. Its appearance signals the imminent unveiling of decisions that affect taxes, welfare schemes, infrastructure spending and economic direction of the country. The colour red also holds cultural significance in India, commonly associated with prosperity and auspicious beginnings, reinforcing the Budget’s importance beyond its technical details.