As Sitharaman reciprocated the gestures of her party members, Prime Minister Modi was seen rising from his seat and walking towards her.
In the video, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen speaking with Nirmala Sitharaman and other ministers, including Union defence minister Rajnath Singh and health minister JP Nadda.
Calling the budget a significant step in India’s development, Modi said, “Today is an important milestone in India’s development journey. This budget reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians and fulfils the dreams of every citizen. We have opened many sectors for the youth, and the common citizen will drive the mission of Viksit Bharat.”
He sought to reach out to the middle class perceived to have moved away from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over rising costs and inflation.
Modi said all employment-generating sectors have been given priority in the budget. Employment is a key electoral concern.