Industry leaders across multiple sectors are presenting a unified agenda ahead of Union Budget 2026, emphasizing infrastructure continuity, tax system efficiency, and enhanced financial protection mechanisms. The convergence of expectations reflects broader economic priorities as businesses seek policy stability and growth enablers in an evolving market landscape.

Infrastructure Investment Remains Growth Priority

Industry executives continue to position infrastructure development as the cornerstone of economic expansion and private investment confidence. The real estate and asset management sectors particularly emphasize the multiplier effects of sustained public capital expenditure.

Prakash Patel from Bhumi World highlighted how improved connectivity strengthens office and retail demand while enhancing mixed-use destination attractiveness. Gurvinder Juneja of Fortuna Asset Managers noted that infrastructure investments improve productivity and crowd in private capital when supported by credible fiscal consolidation.

Tax System Reforms and GST Efficiency

Tax predictability and compliance simplification have emerged as common demands across sectors, with particular focus on GST administration and customs procedures. Industry leaders are seeking resolution of structural issues that impact working capital and investment flows.

Manoj Mishra from Grant Thornton Bharat emphasized the need for resolving valuation disputes, place-of-supply issues, and blocked credits to sustain private investment. The insurance sector specifically highlighted GST relief for MSMEs to expand employee coverage and reduce public healthcare dependence.

Insurance and Retirement Solutions

The insurance industry is advocating for strengthened protection frameworks and retirement solutions to address demographic shifts and rising longevity. Leaders are seeking tax parity and enhanced adoption mechanisms for long-term savings products.

Key insurance sector priorities include:

• Aligning annuity taxation with pension instruments
• Simplifying tax parity across insurance products
• Encouraging annuity market adoption through tax relief
• Supporting technology-led underwriting and claims systems
• Addressing climate risks and catastrophe losses

Tarun Chugh from Bajaj Life Insurance positioned life insurance as a long-term savings solution, while Subhrajit Mukhopadhyay of Edelweiss Life Insurance emphasized deepening the annuity market to channel long-term savings into duration investments.

Financial Inclusion and Fintech Evolution

Financial services leaders are emphasizing balanced growth with enhanced safeguards, consumer protection, and technological advancement. The focus has shifted toward capability-centered models rather than purely growth-driven approaches.

Vivek Iyer from Grant Thornton Bharat advocated for stronger liquidity buffers and improved cybersecurity frameworks. Digital lending stakeholders emphasized maintaining growth while ensuring regulatory alignment and consent-based data-sharing frameworks.

Real Estate and Housing Affordability

Real estate developers continue to highlight affordability constraints despite resilient market demand. The sector is seeking targeted interventions to reduce cost pressures and support supply in affordable housing segments.

Developers are requesting:

• Targeted tax relief for homebuyers
• GST rationalization on construction materials
• Simplified stamp duty procedures
• Review of environmental regulations
• Execution-focused affordable housing initiatives

Sector-Specific Considerations

Various industries have presented specialized requirements reflecting their unique operational challenges. The travel sector seeks digital-first financing solutions and regulatory clarity, while forex stakeholders advocate for exempting education-related remittances from tax collected at source.

The manufacturing sector, particularly sugar industry representatives, expects continued policy support for ethanol blending, timely farmer payments, and green modernization incentives to improve sector resilience while supporting rural livelihoods and energy security.

Industry leaders across India's education technology sector are presenting comprehensive expectations for Budget 2026, positioning education and skilling as fundamental drivers for achieving the nation's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The collective voice from edtech executives emphasizes treating education as economic infrastructure rather than social expenditure, with calls for substantial policy and financial support.

Digital Infrastructure and Accessibility Focus

Education leaders are prioritizing digital learning infrastructure as a cornerstone for Budget 2026. Dr. Sanjay Salunkhe, Founder of Jaro Education, expects focused support for digital and online education to expand access to credible higher and executive education for working professionals across regions and cities. Anant Bengani, Cofounder and Director of Zell Education, advocates for targeted investments in digital learning infrastructure, inclusive broadband access, and next-generation edtech platforms to ensure quality education reaches learners in both metros and rural districts.

Key infrastructure demands include:

• Enhanced broadband connectivity in underserved areas
• Expansion of digital platforms like DIKSHA and SWAYAM
• Investment in virtual learning environments and AI-enabled assessment tools
• Regional content creation support

Financial Support and Tax Reforms

Industry executives are seeking comprehensive financial reforms to make education more accessible and affordable. Dr. Kamal Chhabra, Founder & CEO of KC GLobEd, asserts the importance of stronger support for personal finance in education and skilling sectors, including tax benefits on professional courses, reduced GST on edtech services, simplified access to education loans, and increased public spending on digital learning infrastructure.

Ayush Kumar, MD of New Delhi Institute of Management, emphasizes making quality higher education more accessible through enhanced education loans, interest subsidies, and tax benefits for students and parents.

AI and Emerging Technology Integration

The global EdTech AI solutions space is expected to reach $80 billion by 2030, according to Ashutosh Upadhyay, Founder of Cognio Labs. Industry leaders are calling for budget allocations focused on AI-enabled student assessment tools, virtual learning environments, and automated content generation systems. Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech, proposes mandating 1% allocation of corporate profits toward workforce upskilling and creating a dedicated national reskilling pool to address AI-led job market disruptions.

Outcome-Based Skilling and Industry Alignment

Leaders emphasize the critical need for outcome-based accountability in education funding. Prateek Shukla, Co-Founder and CEO of Masai, expects Budget 2026 to fund three key aspects: co-investment and tax incentives for industry-academia partnerships, outcome-based accountability where government funding flows to institutions based on results and placement rates rather than enrollment numbers, and funding for platforms that make quality outcome-driven skilling accessible across India.

Suresh Kalpathi, CEO of Veranda Learning Solutions, advocates for treating education and skilling as economic infrastructure, with greater emphasis on employability in emerging fields like AI, data, finance, and green jobs.

Institutional Capacity and Faculty Development

Pravesh Dudani, Founder and Chancellor of Medhavi Skills University, emphasizes that education and skilling must be backed by targeted financial allocations that convert intent into impact. Key areas requiring sustained investment include capacity building of teachers and faculty through continuous upskilling, expanding digital infrastructure, enhancing broadband connectivity, and promoting inclusive EdTech adoption.

Siddharth Banerjee, CEO of Univo Education, believes investment should focus on building skilled talent, accelerating digital transformation, and strengthening institutional capacity to leverage India's large youth dividend. He advocates for a forward-looking budget that embeds AI across the education ecosystem to develop globally competitive institutions and future-ready talent.