Budget 2026: Orange Economy Takes Center Stage for India's Growth

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2026-27 focuses on the 'Orange Economy' as a key driver for India's 'Services-Led Growth' strategy.
• The Orange Economy, or Creative Economy, combines culture, creativity, technology, and intellectual property to generate economic and social value.
• India's large youth population and digital revolution provide a fertile ground for the creative economy, with the creator economy growing at an 18% CAGR.
• Major announcements include establishing 'AVGC Content Creator Labs' in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, in collaboration with IICT Mumbai.
• The government aims to create 2 million jobs in the AVGC sector by 2030 and plans a new National Institute of Design (NID) in Eastern India.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 positions the Orange Economy as a new engine for job creation and economic growth in India.