New Delhi: As India eagerly awaits the Union Budget 2025-26, industry leaders from advertising, media, marketing, and the startup ecosystem have shared their expectations, highlighting crucial reforms and incentives needed to drive digital transformation, technological innovation, and economic growth.
The digital marketing industry faces several challenges, including rising advertising costs, limited access to advanced AI tools, and growing concerns around data privacy. Prady, CEO & Co-Founder, NP Digital India, emphasized the need for government support in the form of incentives for digital adoption, funding for upskilling programs, and a stronger regulatory framework for data privacy. He expects increased investment in digital infrastructure to ensure widespread connectivity and access to emerging technologies, incentives for AI-driven marketing solutions to improve data-driven decision-making, and tax breaks or subsidies to help upskill marketing professionals. These measures, according to him, will empower businesses, enhance marketing effectiveness, and strengthen India’s digital economy.
With AI, Martech, and automation becoming central to brand engagement, businesses are looking for policies that enable them to scale innovation and enhance customer experiences. Ambika Sharma, Founder & Chief Strategist, Pulp Strategy, sees Union Budget 2025 as a defining moment for India’s digital-first economy. She anticipates clarity on AI regulations to ensure ethical, data-driven marketing, tax incentives for digital advertising to help brands reach audiences more effectively, and policies that support MSMEs in adopting Martech and digital solutions. Sharma believes that as India strengthens its digital infrastructure, businesses that embrace digital transformation will lead the next phase of marketing growth.
Beyond marketing and advertising, India has also made significant strides in creative industries, including content creation, video gaming, and esports. Rajan Navani, Founder & CEO, JetSynthesys, emphasized the importance of continued investment in the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, following the INR 400 crore allocation in the previous budget. He called for incentives to support intellectual property (IP) creation in animation, VFX, video gaming, and esports, along with a reduction in TDS rates on digital platforms to boost earnings for content creators. Additionally, he suggested tax benefits for esports and gaming companies, given the industry’s $200 billion global market size. Navani believes that India can evolve from being a back-end service provider to a leader in IP-led gaming products, provided the government prioritizes infrastructure development, skill-building, and incentives for innovation.
For India to establish itself as a global technology leader, investments in AI and digital infrastructure are essential. Ishank Joshi, MD & CEO, Mobavenue, stressed the need for policies that drive the ‘Make in India for the Globe’ vision, fostering export-ready AI solutions. He highlighted the importance of research funding, workforce training incentives, and public-private partnerships to accelerate AI adoption. Expanding digital data ecosystems and high-performance computing resources, he noted, would further solidify India’s position in the global AI market, which is projected to reach $25 billion by 2030.
The startup ecosystem remains a crucial driver of India’s economic growth, and industry leaders are keen to see policies that attract investment and ease business operations. Abhinay Kumar Singh, Founder & MD, Adgcraft Communications, acknowledged the positive impact of the abolition of Angel Tax in the previous budget but called for further reforms. He hopes for a more streamlined tax system to attract venture capitalists and foreign investors, simplification of foreign investment regulations to improve access to global funding, and better credit facilities for startups to drive innovation and expansion.
Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder & CPO, KlugKlug, highlighted the rapid rise of India’s creator economy and influencer marketing sector, which is projected to reach ₹3,375 crore by 2026. He emphasized the need for structured guidelines that ensure transparency and accountability in influencer marketing, stricter advertising regulations, and government initiatives to formalize the sector. Gupta believes that with the right policies, the creator economy can emerge as a powerful force for both economic and cultural impact.
Somdutta Singh, First-Generation Serial Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO Assiduus and Investor with Karma Holdings, explained that The Indian startup ecosystem, pivotal and successful, hosts over 1.59 lakh startups, becoming the third-largest globally with innovations, government support, and tech growth. These startups created 16.6 lakh jobs by October 2024, driving economic impact quantitatively and qualitatively. Funding hit $150 billion since 2014, notably $48 billion in 2021-22; 2024 saw $11.2 billion, up from $9.4 billion in 2023, with a promising start to 2025 at $330 million. The shift towards IP-driven deep tech is evident, steering away from past models to AI and robotics-driven ventures. The start of 2025 foresees IPO history with 23 tech startups, double that of 2023, indicating ecosystem growth. Government initiatives and SIDBI support intensified with Rs 10,805 crore disbursed, benefiting over 1,030 startups, fostering innovation across cities. As stakeholders await the Budget, they hope for tax reforms, enhanced credit access, and infrastructure development to sustain growth, aligning with India’s 2047 development vision.
Ashwani Singh, Managing Director of 35 North Ventures (SEBI Accredited Firm) highlighted that India’s startup ecosystem leads globally in innovation. Ahead of the Union Budget 2025, stakeholders eagerly anticipate policies to boost growth by tackling funding access, tax issues, and regulations. Enhancing funding avenues is key, like expanding Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) and Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), attracting private capital. Streamlining ESOP taxation, offering tax exemptions to angel investors, and reforming capital gains taxes are vital. Infrastructure investments in innovation, sector-specific incentives, and simplified regulatory processes are crucial for a robust and sustainable startup environment aligned with India’s economic goals.
Leading up to the Union Budget, Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions on the M&E Sector, expressed key expectations for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, stressing the importance of policies fostering economic growth, digital innovation, and business friendliness. Desired reforms include improved infrastructure, tax benefits, and consumer spending boosts, aligning with India’s $5 trillion economy goal. The M&E industry’s significance lies in its contributions to the economy, employment, and culture. Expectations for the budget encompass tax changes like lower GST rates on cinema and digital services for greater affordability. Supporting regional content creation and enhancing infrastructure, specifically in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, are crucial areas for development. Prioritizing digital advancements, funding digital media startups and expediting 5G deployment will propel industry advancement. Elevating global competitiveness in AVGC through tax breaks, skill development initiatives, and international partnerships will bolster India’s position in content creation. Emphasizing sustainability, aiding MSMEs, and regulatory efficiency are vital for sustained sector growth.
Industry leaders across advertising, media, marketing, and startups are optimistic that the Union Budget 2025-26 will introduce progressive policies that support innovation, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship. With expectations ranging from AI-driven marketing incentives and digital infrastructure investments to gaming and creator economy reforms, the budget has the potential to shape India’s future as a global leader in digital technology and creative industries. If the government addresses these concerns with targeted policies and strategic investments, the advertising, media, marketing, and startup sectors will be well-positioned to drive India’s economic growth and digital leadership on the global stage.
