Budget 2026 signals long-term intent on AI, services growth, but execution remains uncertain.
Industry welcomes policy clarity and capex push, while flagging delivery and coordination risks.
From infrastructure to skilling, Budget success hinges on implementation, not announcements alone.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget 2026–27 at a moment when India’s growth story looks resilient but demands sharper execution. The budget leaned heavily on services-led expansion, technology-driven productivity, and workforce readiness, with artificial intelligence emerging as a recurring theme.
As industry leaders parsed the fine print, a clearer picture emerged, not just of what the government intends to do, but how businesses now expect to see it delivered. Across sectors, reactions suggest that this is a Budget less about immediate relief and more about long-term direction.
Executives of the company identified three key factors that would determine their future growth prospects.
The technology sector received budgetary support, which provided reassurance for its needs. The newly introduced measures for AI skilling and digital infrastructure development, together with the safe harbour regulations, addressed long-standing requirements for precise information.
Guidewire Software linked the skills policy directly to enterprise readiness.
“The 2026 Union Budget’s focus on strengthening the services sector as a core driver of growth, alongside measures that support AI skilling and education, is a positive step toward building a future-ready workforce… Moreover, the revised safe harbour margin of 15.5% brings much-needed clarity and stability,” said Mohammed Anzy S, VP, Engineering & Country Head, Guidewire India.
Wipro framed the Budget as a strategic statement rather than a fiscal one.
“By identifying AI as central to accelerating and sustaining economic growth, the government underscores its strategy to establish India as an AI-powered economic superpower,” said Aparna Iyer, CFO, Wipro Limited.
India is establishing its goal to provide global IT services through enhanced tax exemptions and all-inclusive IT service standards that benefit cloud computing and data infrastructure companies.
In banking and fintech, the reaction was more measured. The opportunity is clear, but so is the need for disciplined execution. Scienaptic AI highlighted the role of responsible AI in credit expansion.
“This focus creates a strong opportunity to use AI more meaningfully to improve credit decisioning, expand access to finance, and build more resilient lending systems,” said Joydip Gupta, APAC Head, Scienaptic AI.
From a market’s perspective, platforms like Scripbox noted that higher transaction taxes on derivatives may curb speculative excesses while nudging retail investors toward longer-term instruments. FinStackk welcomed the simplification of tax rules.
“Bringing all IT companies under a single, uniform safe harbour category will simplify compliance, reduce uncertainty, and make tax obligations far more predictable,” said Satya Yeruva, Co-Founder & CEO, FinStackk.
Infrastructure leaders read the Budget as an endorsement of data-led execution. Matrix Geo Solutions emphasized how planning itself is becoming more digital.
“India’s next phase of infrastructure growth will be driven as much by data and precision as by physical assets,” said Amit Sharma, Founder & Whole Time Director, Matrix Geo Solutions.
BVG India placed this shift in the context of sustained public investment.
“Public infrastructure-linked capital expenditure has grown at a CAGR of over 17%,” said Manoj Jain, CFO, BVG India Ltd.
The message from the sector was clear: capital outlay matters, but so does how intelligently it is deployed.
Few proposals resonated as strongly as the Education-to-Employment Standing Committee. For platforms working closely with students and employers, the announcement felt overdue.
“These measures address both the supply and demand sides of the system, providing a meaningful boost to the career prospects of India’s young workforce,” said Rakhi Pal, Co-Founder & COO, EventBeep.
Technology firms echoed this, stressing that AI-led growth will stall without job-ready talent and deeper industry-academia collaboration.
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Manufacturers welcomed support for semiconductors and electronics but flagged unresolved issues. EVeium Smart Mobility pointed to a familiar bottleneck.
“The inverted GST structure remains a real challenge. Fixing this imbalance will be critical,” said Sameer Moidin, Founder & CEO, EVeium Smart Mobility.
In food processing, Cravicious Foods saw infrastructure spending as a practical enabler.
“This creates the foundation to grow responsibly, maintain high quality, and ensure compliance,” said Ekansh Garg, Co-founder & CEO, Cravicious Foods.
Union Budget 2026 presents a clear path forward through three specific areas of AI-based service development, digital infrastructure expansion, workforce development, and improved tax regulations. Industry reactions show broad agreement with the direction of travel. What remains unresolved is pace.
The coming months will reveal whether record capital expenditure converts into faster project delivery, whether AI skilling leads to employable talent, and whether MSMEs and startups can translate policy intent into scale. The Budget sets expectations high. The Budget’s legacy will depend on what happens on factory floors, in classrooms, and on the balance sheet.
1. What is the core message of the Union Budget 2026?
The Budget signals a shift toward long-term, services-led growth anchored in AI, digital infrastructure, skills alignment, and tax certainty rather than short-term consumption-driven stimulus.
2. Why does industry see AI as central to this Budget?
AI appears across skilling, infrastructure, finance, and governance, indicating its role as a productivity multiplier rather than a niche technology or standalone innovation policy.
3. How does the Budget address industry tax concerns?
Measures like safe-harbor expansion, IT services consolidation, and data centre incentives reduce compliance uncertainty and support long-term investment planning for global-facing enterprises.
4. What changes matter most for jobs and skills?
The Education-to-Employment Standing Committee aims to close gaps between academia and industry, ensuring AI and emerging technology skills translate into employable, market-ready talent.
5. What is the biggest execution risk ahead?
Delays in implementation, whether in capex rollout, skilling outcomes, or regulatory clarity, could dilute impact, making coordination across ministries and regulators critical.