As India gears up for the Union Budget 2026-27, set to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2026, industry experts and stakeholders are voicing their priorities. The budget arrives at a pivotal moment, with expectations centered on advancing the Viksit Bharat vision through reforms in healthcare, manufacturing, startups, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies like AI. This fiscal roadmap is anticipated to emphasize self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), inclusive growth, sustainable practices, and responsible innovation amid global economic shifts.
Holistic Health and Wellness: A Call for Preventive and Mental Health Focus
The health sector seeks enhanced investments to address preventive care and mental well-being, especially for vulnerable groups facing modern lifestyle challenges.
Kashika Malhotra, Founder of Yoginii, highlights the potential for transformative change:
“As India looks ahead to the Union Budget 2026–27, there is a strong opportunity to deepen the country’s commitment to holistic health and wellness. While steps like easing insurance costs and strengthening coverage have made healthcare more accessible, mental and preventive health still receive limited focus. With mental health accounting for barely one percent of overall health spending, there is a clear need for sustained investment in community-based programmes, early intervention, and accessible wellness solutions. A stronger focus on preventive care, mental wellbeing, and everyday health support can help build a healthier, more resilient population, especially for women and young adults navigating modern lifestyle pressures.”
Arpit Bhatia, Director at Laborate Pharmaceuticals, stresses pharmaceutical self-reliance:
“As India works towards strengthening its healthcare ecosystem, the upcoming Budget is an opportunity to reinforce the fundamentals of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Greater focus on quality linked incentives, support for domestic API production, and continued investment in compliance driven infrastructure will help Indian pharma companies scale responsibly. For mid sized manufacturers, ease of doing business, faster regulatory clearances, and targeted tax rationalisation can unlock capacity expansion without compromising on standards. A predictable policy environment will be critical for ensuring that Indian medicines remain trusted, accessible, and globally competitive.”
These perspectives advocate for balanced funding to improve accessibility, affordability, and preventive measures in healthcare.
Bolstering Manufacturing and ‘Make in India’ Initiatives
Manufacturing leaders emphasize incentives for sustainability, local procurement, and export support to solidify India’s position as a global hub.
Shiozawa Kazuyuki, Managing Director of TOTO India (a Japanese luxuryware brand with significant production in Gujarat), outlines key expectations:
“As a manufacturer with a strong production footprint in Gujarat, TOTO India looks to the Union Budget to further strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem. Continued focus on infrastructure development, water conservation, and incentives for sustainable and energy-efficient manufacturing will help global companies like ours deepen Domestic production, enhance supply-chain resilience, and create long-term skilled employment. Policy support that encourages innovation, green technologies, and ease of doing business will be critical in accelerating India’s journey towards becoming a global manufacturing hub and further aligning with the ‘Make in India’ push.”
Pankit Desai, CEO & Co-Founder of Sequretek, calls for stronger enforcement and dedicated support in cybersecurity:
“To truly strengthen ‘Make in India,’ we need more than lip service. Government departments must be encouraged to prioritize local procurement. Just like other compliances such as MSMEs and payments, a clear enforcement mechanism will prevent resistance from those favouring multinational products due to personal preferences. Second, for exports to thrive, India-based companies need stronger support in accessing international markets. While some support exists, resources—both financial and human—are fairly anaemic. The government should actively facilitate global business expansion, like sponsoring participation in international fairs. Finally, while funds for AI and cybersecurity are earmarked, their operational use needs clarity. Government budgets should focus on boosting cyber efficiency through Indian companies. Creating a dedicated fund, modelled on existing frameworks like the Fund of Funds, can channel resources more effectively and drive real progress in cybersecurity.”
These inputs underscore the need for practical policies to drive domestic value addition, green manufacturing, and export competitiveness.
Democratizing Startup Investment for Innovation and Job Creation
To accelerate entrepreneurship, experts push for reforms that broaden participation in startup funding.
Vinay Bansal, CEO & Founder of Inflection Point Ventures, proposes easing norms for angel investing:
“The next Budget provides an opportunity to really impact innovation, Job creation and Value creation via democratizing angel investing in India, by allowing professionals to contribute to the growth of the startups via angel investing. Small investors, who are professionals should be able to contribute significantly, establish diverse portfolios, share their expertise in helping grow the startups and profit alongside the startup ecosystem. Just like individuals are trusted to invest in publicly traded corporations, they should also be able to invest modest amounts in startups with sufficient safeguards. While we understand, that it is important to protect investors & their investments, the current accredited investor norms with their existing limits may become more relevant 10 years down the line when the Indian startup ecosystem has further evolved. Currently, practices around trust & transparency which are already incorporated under SEBI guidelines should suffice while still creating an environment where small investors can contribute more than just capital & yet benefit from potential returns while contributing towards the growth of the nation.”
Such measures could democratize capital access and foster diverse expertise in India’s dynamic startup ecosystem.
Human-Centric AI: Insights from ACSEL Technology Forum’s Inaugural Conference
The ACSEL Technology Forum hosted its first International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (“Reimagining AI”) in Bengaluru on January 27, 2026, under the aegis of the IIT Alumni Centre, Bengaluru (IITACB) and supported by the Government of Karnataka. The event convened global experts to explore AI’s role in reshaping India’s economy, workforce, healthcare, education, and governance while prioritizing ethical, inclusive adoption.
Key discussions focused on AI’s productivity gains alongside challenges like job transitions, ethics, privacy, and equity. Healthcare, climate modeling, and personalized education were highlighted as high-impact areas, with calls for reskilling, transparent governance, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Dr. N. Manjula, IAS (Secretary, Ministry of IT/BT, Government of Karnataka), affirmed AI’s strategic importance and the state’s investments. Ashok Misra, President of IITACB and Director of ACSEL, emphasized pro-human frameworks to augment potential and ensure inclusive growth. Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of KDEM, noted rapid enterprise adoption of GenAI and Agentic AI, advocating human-centric governance, skilling, and decentralized innovation through Karnataka’s regional clusters.
These deliberations align with budget expectations for policies supporting responsible AI to drive economic resilience and societal benefits.
With the Union Budget 2026-27 on the horizon, these expert voices offer a comprehensive blueprint for policies that can propel India toward sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-led growth.
Last Updated on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 7:13 am by Startup Chronicle Team
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