Radhika Iyer Talati, Founder, Anahata Organic-
Startup Ecosystem POV (Founder-led, Innovation-centric)
"From a startup perspective, Budget 2026 presents an opportunity to meaningfully support India's growing organic and wellness innovation ecosystem by prioritising GST rationalisation on natural and health-focused products, along with stronger incentives for R&D in plant-based and preventive health solutions. Startups working at the intersection of sustainability, wellness, and indigenous knowledge need predictable policies, faster access to innovation funding, and dedicated green innovation support to scale responsibly. Recognising organic and preventive health-led businesses as priority sectors would not only boost consumption but also align entrepreneurship with long-term public health and environmental resilience."
Retail / D2C / E-commerce POV (Manufacturing + Sell, Consumer-Facing)
"As a brand that manufactures and directly retails organic beauty, wellness, and herbal products, we see Budget 2026 as a chance to strengthen affordability and conscious consumption through GST rationalisation on natural products and tax incentives for sustainable packaging. Support for green manufacturing, circular economy practices, and eco-friendly supply chains can help D2C brands scale without compromising values. With consumers increasingly choosing fewer, more intentional products, policies that reward sustainability, local manufacturing, and value-driven purchasing will help build resilient, future-ready retail ecosystems."
Quote from A. Vikram Joshe, Founder, WAE Ltd.)-
"As a manufacturing SME, our foremost expectation from the Budget is a fundamental correction in how GST is imposed. Today, manufacturers are forced to act as financiers to the tax system—paying GST upfront after investing capital in raw materials, production, and compliance, while payment from buyers is realised months later. This structure severely strains working capital and penalises those who actually create goods and jobs. GST must move to a buyer-paid or cash-realisation basis for SMEs. If the intent is to strengthen manufacturing, liquidity cannot be drained at the factory gate. Relief here would immediately unlock growth, improve compliance, and reduce dependence on debt."
Jerin Venad, Founder & CEO, Cityflo
"India is on an exponential growth trajectory, and our cities will absorb a significant share of this expansion. As urban populations rise, stress on already congested commute corridors will only intensify; how we manage this movement will help shape India's economic potential.
Mass transit in cities today accounts for only about 25% of motorised trips, far too low for dense urban environments. The remaining dependence on private cars, two-wheelers, and autos fuels congestion, emissions, and daily productivity loss for millions.
India also has fewer than 1.2 buses per 1,000 people, compared to 5–8 per 1,000 globally. Expanding high-quality bus capacity represents one of the most achievable levers to shift commuter behaviour at scale and unlock a more efficient, sustainable urban mobility system.
For Budget 2026, three interventions can be transformational:
Capital support and credit-linked incentives to expand professionally operated bus services
Targeted funding for electric-bus deployment and charging infrastructure and
Simplified, standardised national norms for aggregator licensing and PPP operations
A bold mobility agenda can rebalance India's modal ecosystem, cut emissions at source, and deliver a reliable, comfortable mobility experience."
By Mr. Vinay Thadani, Director and CEO, GREW Solar-
"As India enters a phase of large-scale renewable deployment, Budget 2026 needs to move beyond a sole focus on capacity addition and pay closer attention to the ecosystem that supports sustained growth. While Budget 2025 increased allocations to the renewable sector through higher MNRE funding, initiatives such as PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM, and continued support for green energy corridors and distribution reforms, some gaps remain. Access to long-term, affordable financing for manufacturing and project development is still limited, particularly for emerging players. IIn addition, more stable and predictable policy frameworks around tariffs, incentives and project contracts would help improve investor confidence. Addressing these areas in the next budget would strengthen the foundations of India's renewable energy growth and support a more reliable transition at scale ."
