As India heads into Union Budget 2026, leaders across digital media, advertising, creator economy, AI, and communications are united on one message: the ecosystem has scaled faster than policy, and the next phase of growth depends on formalisation, AI infrastructure, tax clarity and global competitiveness.
From digital newsrooms and MarTech platforms to creators, agencies and AdTech firms, the industry is asking the government to move beyond intent-led announcements and deliver execution-focused reforms that recognise digital-first sectors as core economic contributors.
Digital Media Wants Tech Recognition, Not Tokenism
According to Ravanan N, CEO of Oneindia, digital media today operates at the intersection of content, data, automation and distribution intelligence. With audiences firmly entrenched on digital and regional language platforms, he believes policy must now catch up with consumption realities.
He highlights the need for clear incentives for content technology, AI-powered newsroom tools, and skilling for regional digital talent, arguing that digital publishing remains under-supported despite being central to India’s information ecosystem. A focused push on AI infrastructure, Ravanan notes, would directly strengthen how trusted information reaches citizens at scale.
AI, MarTech and AdTech: From Adoption to Acceleration
For Anand Bhadkamkar, Group CFO at LS Digital, Budget 2026 arrives at a moment when AI, MarTech and AdTech have moved from experimentation to necessity. He stresses the importance of enabling faster and more responsible adoption, especially as companies navigate compliance pressures such as the DPDP Act alongside global economic headwinds.
Echoing this, Kartik Mehta, CBO and Head of Asia at Channel Factory, calls for India-specific AI models, aligned with local languages and governance needs. He also advocates tax cuts to boost AI startup investment, simplified compliance norms, and easier access to early-stage capital for deep-tech innovation.
Creator Economy: Scale Exists, Monetisation Doesn’t
Industry voices from the creator economy underline a stark imbalance: massive influence, limited income stability.
Insights shared by KlugKlug and Mad Influence estimate that India has over 2–2.5 million active creators, influencing more than $350 billion in consumer spending annually, a figure projected to cross $1 trillion by 2030. Yet only 8–10% of creators monetise effectively.
Both firms argue that clear taxation norms, simplified GST treatment, creator-tech incentives, and social security frameworks for gig creators are critical to transforming influence into sustainable livelihoods. Budget 2026, they say, can be the catalyst that formalises and scales the ecosystem.
Global Playbook for India’s Digital Professionals
Bringing an international lens, Zaheer Travadi points to global models such as Indonesia’s recognition of creative IP as financing collateral and France’s Influencer Law mandating transparency. He proposes a ‘Digital Professional’ framework for India, including creator registries that unlock credit access while ensuring consumer safety.
Travadi also urges the government to treat content creation as an export service, especially given India’s 35-million-strong diaspora and record remittances. Export incentives similar to the IT sector, he suggests, could turn Indian creators into global brand ambassadors.
IP, Music and the Shift from Services to Ownership
For Gaurav Dagaonkar, CEO & Co-Founder at Hoopr, the evolution of India’s creator economy must be matched by modern, transparent music licensing frameworks. As AI-generated music and new content formats gain momentum, he stresses the need for future-ready copyright norms that ensure fair compensation while simplifying compliance.
Similarly, Prashant Pavithran argues that India’s next leap lies in building technology platforms for content production, management and distribution, enabling companies to move up the value chain and unlock new creative-tech exports.
Agencies, Startups and the Services Export Opportunity
From the communications sector, Abhinay Kumar Singh notes that AI-led storytelling, media intelligence and measurement are rapidly redefining agency operations. He expects Budget 2026 to back this shift with investments in AI infrastructure, skilling and ethical frameworks that enhance productivity without diluting creativity.
Vishal Rajani, Founder & CEO of Synergos, highlights operational friction as a key bottleneck, particularly delayed GST refunds for service exporters. Faster, uniform refund mechanisms, he argues, would unlock working capital, accelerate hiring, and enable agencies to scale AI-led solutions for global clients.
A Common Thread: Execution Over Intent
Across sectors—digital publishing, AI, creator economy, AdTech, marketing and IP-led businesses—the message is consistent. India’s digital ecosystem has already proven its scale and influence. What it now seeks from Union Budget 2026 is policy clarity, formalisation, tax rationalisation, AI infrastructure and export readiness.
As Rajan Navani, Chairman of JetSynthesys, puts it, the opportunity is for India to move from being a service-led participant to a global owner of digital and creative IP, supported by sustained fiscal backing and institutional investment.
Budget 2026, the industry believes, can mark the shift from recognition to realisation for India’s rapidly expanding digital and creator economy.
