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The Union Budget 2026–27, presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, places a strong focus on emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). The Budget links technology directly with people’s aspirations, aiming to help farmers, students, youth, women in STEM, and Divyangjan become active partners in India’s journey toward growth and prosperity.

One of the most important proposals in the Budget is ‘Bharat-VISTAAR’ (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources). This is a multilingual AI-based tool designed especially for farmers.

The Bharat-VISTAAR project will integrate AgriStack portals with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) farm management solutions, which will also establish connections to artificial intelligence systems. The system aims to provide farmers with personalised farming recommendations that will match their specific requirements.

The system will provide farmers with improved guidance about their crops and farming techniques, and their methods of handling dangerous situations. The government intends to increase farm productivity by providing farmers with multilingual access to information, which will enable them to make improved decisions while decreasing their losses from uncertain events.

The Budget implements various measures to enhance the growth of India's Orange Economy through its financial resources.

The Budget demonstrates how India's Orange Economy has gained significance through its protection of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics AVGC industry. This sector is projected to need around 2 million skilled professionals by 2030, showing strong future job potential.

To support this growth, the Union Budget proposes setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in:

These labs will be supported through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai. The aim is to help students learn creative and digital skills early, prepare them for future jobs, and strengthen India’s position in the global creative industry.

Recognising that AI and emerging technologies are changing how people work, the Budget proposes a High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee.

This committee will study:

Based on its assessment, the committee will suggest measures to ensure that workers and students are ready for new opportunities and challenges created by technology.

The Union Budget 2026–27 lists several government initiatives to support advanced technologies and research. These include:

The initiatives seek to establish technology adoption that delivers advantages to all users, including young farmers, young learners, women scientists and people with disabilities. The organisation creates capacity development programs that enable citizens to utilize technology for their personal development.

The proposal for a new National Institute of Design (NID) establishment in Eastern India represents the second important announcement. The design industry in India experiences rapid expansion, which requires educational institutions to develop high-quality design programs in additional locations.

The new institute will provide three main benefits to the eastern region. The institute will deliver design education programs that will enhance educational opportunities throughout the eastern territory. The institute will establish pipelines that will develop design skills for various design professions. The institute will support both regional economic growth and the development of creative business sectors.

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The Union Budget 2026–27 presents technology and AI as tools for inclusive growth. The Budget prepares to deliver digital advancements which will benefit all community members through its emphasis on farmers, students, creative professionals and upcoming workforce members.

The Budget demonstrates the government's commitment to connecting innovation with public needs through practical measures, which include Bharat-VISTAAR AVGC labs and a new design institute and its job and skills committee.