New Delhi, February 2 (IANS). After the presentation of Union Budget 2026-27, industry leaders have given their reaction on it. Industry leaders on Monday said the government’s support to new technologies like AI Mission, National Quantum Mission, National Research Fund and Research and Innovation Fund will prove to be a big boost for Indian higher education institutions. These institutions are preparing the future entrepreneurs of India.
Union Budget 2026 clearly indicates that India is no longer limited to just adopting technology, but is moving towards strengthening its technological capabilities.
CP Gurnani, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, AIONOS, said the focus on AI, semiconductor, cloud and data infrastructure shows that the government understands that leadership in the digital economy is built on a strong foundation. Strengthening the India AI Mission will help advance AI research, its use and ethical standards simultaneously.
He said that this is not an agenda limited to just technology. By linking AI investments to skilling, workforce preparation and empowering MSMEs, the Budget recognizes that growth, inclusion and competition must go hand in hand.
Chacko Valiappa, Vice Chairman, Sona College of Technology, said the objective of incorporating technology in different sectors is to benefit farmers, increase enrollment of women in Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) and skill the youth ready for new opportunities.
He said that a provision of Rs 1,39,289 crore has been made for the education sector, which is 14.2 percent more than the revised estimate of Rs 1,21,949 crore for 2025-26. However, according to the revised estimates, the actual expenditure on education was 5 percent less than the budget.
The budget proposes to build five university townships near major industrial and logistics corridors, which will house many universities, colleges, research institutes and skill centres. This is being considered a positive step.
Chacko Valliappa said that states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, which have a strong base of manufacturing and higher education, can easily accommodate such university townships.
According to industry experts, this budget clearly indicates that India’s next growth journey will be driven by AI-based digital capabilities, large-scale skill development and world-class technology services.
Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services, said that the ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ framework is a timely step to bridge the gap between education and industry needs. Especially in areas like AI, data engineering and digital platforms, its need is greater.
He said that developing Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as digital economy zones will provide opportunities to new talent and create a strong technology ecosystem even outside the metro cities.
According to experts, the move to create a uniform framework and clean tax rules for IT services will provide stability and confidence to companies in the long run.
–IANS
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