Budget 2026 Should Prioritise Boosting Indigenous AI and IndiaAI Mission Funding

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Bhupendra Singh Chundawat

Budget 2026 Should Prioritise Boosting Indigenous AI and IndiaAI Mission Funding

New Delhi: India aims to establish itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), and experts have stressed that the Budget 2026 should focus on enhancing secure and indigenous AI technologies. Industry specialists pointed out on Monday that government support is crucial to strengthen AI, especially in the financial sector, where trust and security are paramount.

According to experts, the government must prioritise indigenous AI development in the upcoming budget, as AI is expected to contribute up to $1.7 trillion to India’s economy by 2035. Key sectors such as banking and financial services stand to benefit significantly from AI integration. AI plays a vital role in India’s digital financial ecosystem by aiding in real-time fraud detection, risk assessment, and customer interactions. However, most foundational AI models and platforms currently in use are foreign, lacking a specific focus on Indian needs.

Currently, around 87 percent of Indian businesses use AI in various forms, but only 26 percent have reached large-scale maturity, highlighting a gap between adoption and innovation. Experts recommend that Budget 2026 explicitly promote the creation of local AI models and develop computing infrastructure tailored to Indian languages, regulatory requirements, and security standards. Increased funding for programmes like the IndiaAI Mission, along with incentives such as tax credits and grants for foundational model training, could further accelerate AI innovation and research within the country.

In addition, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed on Monday that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026-27 on 1 February, which falls on a Sunday this year. This has caused some uncertainty over the exact date, but the traditional schedule remains unchanged.

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