Pre-Budget Wishlist: What industry wants from India’s next budget

As India heads into the Union Budget season, industry leaders are looking beyond headline tax tweaks to signals of how seriously the government intends to back its next phase of growth. From artificial intelligence and deep tech to manufacturing, startups, and digital infrastructure, expectations are centered on whether policy will keep pace with the speed at which Indian enterprise is transforming. With global capital tightening and automation reshaping jobs, this year’s pre-Budget discussions are less about stimulus and more about strategic direction, how India plans to scale innovation, support emerging technologies, and strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive global tech economy.

The Tech Panda asked industry players what their expectations are from the upcoming Union Budget 2026.

AUTOMOTIVE

Sai Sridhar, Managing Director, Elektrobit India

“As India’s automotive industry rapidly shifts toward software-defined and connected vehicles, Budget 2026 needs to directly address gaps in automotive software security and ...