Budget 2026 Gives Big Boost to India’s Orange Economy and AVGC Jobs

Budget 2026 Pushes India’s Orange Economy and Creative Jobs

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has unveiled a major thrust for India’s creative industries in the Union Budget 2026, placing the so-called “orange economy” at the centre of the country’s future employment and innovation strategy. The measures aim to build large-scale creative skills, generate new-age jobs, and position India as a global hub for digital content and design-led industries.

AVGC Sector as a Major Employment Engine

Highlighting the rapid growth of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector, the Finance Minister said the industry is expected to require nearly 2 million skilled professionals by 2030 . Rising demand from gaming, OTT platforms, digital advertising, immersive media and global content outsourcing has turned AVGC into one of India’s most promising creative employment segments, offering high-value and export-oriented jobs.

Content Creator Labs Across Schools and Colleges

To build a future-ready talent pipeline, the Budget proposes government support for the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies to establish AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges nationwide. These labs will introduce students to animation, visual effects, gaming, digital storytelling and content creation at an early stage, encouraging skill development, entrepreneurship, and creator-led startups aligned with industry needs.

Orange Economy and Economic Survey Perspective

The Economic Survey 2025–26 has identified creativity-driven sectors—culture, media, entertainment, design and intellectual property—as emerging engines of employment, tourism and urban services. Collectively described as the orange economy , these sectors derive value primarily from ideas, creativity and cultural capital rather than physical resources. The Survey also highlighted the rising concert economy , while pointing out infrastructure gaps and regulatory bottlenecks that need reform to unlock full potential.

Important Facts for Exams

• AVGC stands for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics .

• Orange economy refers to creativity-led, culture-based industries .

• Content Creator Labs proposed in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges .

• AVGC sector projected to need about 2 million professionals by 2030 .

Design Education and Regional Development

Complementing the AVGC push, the Finance Minister announced the establishment of a new National Institute of Design in eastern India . Acknowledging the shortage of trained designers despite fast industry growth, the move is expected to strengthen design education, promote regional balance, and support manufacturing, digital products and creative services.

Building a Creative-Led Growth Model

Together, the AVGC initiatives, design education expansion and policy recognition of the orange economy signal a shift towards idea-driven and talent-intensive growth . By embedding creative skills within the education system and supporting digital-first industries, the Budget 2026 positions creativity, culture and design as long-term drivers of employment, innovation and India’s global soft power.