Orange Economy: Budget 2026 Brings Big Push for Content Creators, Animation and Gaming

India plans major support for its creative economy, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlining fresh measures in the Union Budget 2026-27. The government focuses on Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) and related creative fields, which are seen as important sources of jobs, especially for young professionals across urban centres.

Sitharaman said that India's AVGC sector is a rapidly growing industry and is projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. The sector is expected to strengthen employment, encourage startups, and expand creative services, especially as digital content demand grows across streaming platforms, advertising, education, and immersive media.

AVGC sector and India’s 'orange economy’ focus

The Budget vision links the AVGC sector with the wider "orange economy", a term used for creativity-led activities such as culture, media, entertainment, and intellectual property. These fields generate economic value from ideas, cultural capital, and artistic output, and are highlighted for their potential role in boosting tourism, urban services, and new-age employment in Indian cities.

Sitharaman connected these plans with findings from the Economic Survey 2025-26, which flagged opportunities in the concert economy. The survey said live events can support jobs and lift local services and tourism, but also pointed to challenges such as limited suitable venues and regulatory barriers. These issues need policy attention if India wants to expand this creative segment.

AVGC sector skilling push through schools and colleges

Describing steps to build a future-ready workforce, Sitharaman announced targeted AVGC training infrastructure. "I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27. These labs aim to provide students early exposure to digital tools, content creation, and industry-relevant skills.

The Economic Survey 2025-26 also stressed that creativity-led segments can become strong drivers of employment and urban growth. It highlighted that culture, media, entertainment, and intellectual property activities could support tourism and services if backed by suitable regulation, training, and infrastructure, complementing the direct AVGC push outlined in the Budget proposals.

Alongside AVGC, Sitharaman highlighted gaps in India’s design ecosystem. While the design industry is expanding rapidly, there is still a shortage of trained designers. To address this, the Budget proposed a new National Institute of Design in the eastern region, aimed at strengthening design education, encouraging innovation, and widening access for students beyond existing design hubs.