Union Budget 2026: IT Sector leaders speak
Kaspersky- by Heng Lee, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Asia-Pacific and Japan at Kaspersky
The Government of India’s sustained investments in digital public infrastructure and cybercrime response have helped strengthen the country’s overall cybersecurity resilience. Over the years, coordinated efforts to improve incident reporting, inter-agency cooperation, and national-level monitoring have contributed to a more structured response to cyber risks affecting citizens and organizations alike.
At the same time, India’s expanding digital footprint continues to attract cybercriminal activity. According to our Threat Intelligence report, Indian users remain among the most targeted globally by web-based attacks, with phishing-led social engineering and malware delivery continuing to dominate the threat landscape.
Looking ahead to Budget 2026, addressing structural issues such as the cybersecurity skills gap, rising ransomware activity, and the protection of critical infrastructure will require sustained and targeted investment. As digital transformation remains a key driver of economic growth and service delivery in India, prioritizing intelligence-led security, advanced threat detection, and workforce development will be essential.
Blackstraw ai.- by Atul Arya, Founder & CEO of Blackstraw.ai
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s latest statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos regarding India becoming “the biggest supplier of AI services to the world” at the application layer has set a clear direction for the Union Budget 2026. To achieve this ambition, a clear shift in focus from tax-driven incentives to supporting the ecosystem is required. One that supports and empowers application developers, businesses and talent on a large scale.
From this year's budget, Blackstraw is expecting to see prioritization of compute-credit schemes for AI application developers, expanded public-private partnerships under the IndiaAI mission, and targeted incentives for deploying AI across education, healthcare, and governance. With tens of thousands of GPUs set up as shared national resources, the next step is to make access easier and encourage companies that are developing practical AI applications that deliver clear business results.
Another key area is integrating AI into education, from curriculum modernisation and building learning infrastructure that is ready for AI, to large-scale skilling initiatives that create a sustained pipeline of application-focused talent remain critical. By encouraging ecosystem development with innovation hubs, sandbox environments, and digital public infrastructure, India can move from aspiration to action, setting a global example for scalable, real-world AI applications.
Brother India International- Alok Nigam, Managing Director for Brother India International
The Union Budget 2026 is expected to play an important role in strengthening enterprise productivity and operational efficiency across sectors. For Brother International, a global provider of printing and labelling solutions, policy measures that encourage structured business operations, digital workflows, and supply chain efficiency will be key to supporting sustained demand across India’s evolving enterprise landscape.
As businesses continue to focus on productivity, cost optimisation, and operational continuity, printing remains a critical enabler of day-to-day enterprise functions. Budget 2026 is expected to reinforce the adoption of digital and hybrid workflows, driving the need for reliable, efficient, and cost-effective printing solutions. Continued emphasis on enterprise digitisation and operational efficiency will support businesses in managing documentation seamlessly while maintaining control over costs and resources.
The increasing formalisation of sectors such as logistics, warehousing, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing is driving demand for professional labelling solutions. Policy initiatives that strengthen supply chains, improve traceability, and encourage standardisation are expected to accelerate adoption of durable and accurate labelling technologies. These solutions play a vital role in enhancing operational accuracy, compliance, and inventory management across industries.
Brother International remains optimistic that Union Budget 2026 will create a supportive environment for enterprise efficiency and structured business operations. A forward-looking policy approach that enables digital workflows and strengthens supply chain infrastructure will further reinforce the relevance of printing and labelling solutions as essential tools for business productivity.
The company looks forward to a Budget that supports efficiency-driven growth and empowers enterprises to operate with greater precision and reliability.