As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1, 2026, at 11 AM, leaders from oncology, electronics manufacturing, and IT/SaaS sectors are calling for dedicated funding for cancer prevention and early detection, policy continuity for local value addition in electronics, and clearer tax/compliance frameworks for cross-border SaaS and enterprise AI to drive inclusive healthcare, manufacturing self-reliance, and global tech competitiveness.
Dr. Sanket Mehta, Founder, SSO Cancer Hospital, stressed the transformative potential of prevention-focused investments:
“One of the most impactful interventions the Union Budget 2026 can make is sustained investment in prevention and early detection. Cancers diagnosed early are more treatable, cost less, and lead to better patient outcomes. Dedicated funding for nationwide screening and awareness programmes, especially in non-metro regions, will reduce disease burden and long-term healthcare costs.”
“One of the most impactful interventions the Union Budget 2026 can make is sustained investment in prevention and early detection. Cancers diagnosed at an early stage are far more treatable, cost significantly less, and lead to better quality of life for patients. We need dedicated budgetary support for nationwide screening programmes, especially for breast, cervical, oral, and gastrointestinal cancers, along with awareness campaigns that reach semi-urban and rural populations. Strengthening primary healthcare systems with trained personnel and accessible diagnostics will ensure that warning signs are not missed. Early diagnosis is not only a medical priority, it is a must for social and economic sustenance.”
“One of the most significant interventions one can hope for in the Union Budget 2026 is sustained investment in early-detection and prevention campaigns. Cancers diagnosed early are more treatable, cost less, and lead to better patient outcomes. It is imperative that the government set aside dedicated funding for nationwide screening and awareness programmes, especially in Tier II and Tier III, which will reduce the disease burden and long-term healthcare costs.”
“As India moves towards Union Budget 2026, healthcare startups—especially in oncology—require targeted policy and funding support to scale their impact beyond metro cities. Today, cancer-focused start-ups are developing organ-specific solutions across surgery, diagnostics, and patient navigation that need to reach the masses and not just the elite few. Often, such initiatives face capital and infrastructure constraints. The budget should have dedicated budgetary incentives, low-interest funding, and viability support for healthcare startups operating in non-metro regions, which can help accelerate access to quality cancer care. Encouraging public-private partnerships and easing regulatory pathways for clinical innovation will allow startups to complement the public healthcare system. Strategic investment in healthcare entrepreneurship will strengthen cancer infrastructure while encouraging innovation and faster healthcare delivery.”
Saket Gaurav, CMD, Elista:
“As India approaches the Union Budget 2026–27, the electronics sector stands at a critical inflection point. Global supply chains are being reshaped, and countries that can offer scale, stability, and cost competitiveness will define the next phase of manufacturing. India has made encouraging progress, and recent GST reforms, particularly in categories like televisions, have helped improve cost efficiency and accelerate domestic production. The next step is policy continuity with deeper support for local value addition. Simplified tariffs, predictable incentive disbursements and sustained investment in skills, component ecosystems and applied R&D can significantly reduce friction at the factory level and enable long-term planning. Electronics is a power-lifter sector for India. With the right policy mix, it can support affordable consumption at home while building the scale and resilience required to compete globally. Budget 2026–27 has the opportunity to strengthen this foundation and position India as a reliable manufacturing base.”
Ankit Sarawagi, Chief Financial Officer, Verloop.io:
“The Indian IT and tech startup sector has seen meaningful policy movement over the last year, especially around digital public infrastructure and the early groundwork for AI through initiatives announced in the previous Budget. Programs such as Startup India have played an important role in creating scale, credibility, and access for young technology companies. As we look to Budget 2026, there is an opportunity to extend this momentum more sharply towards B2B SaaS and globally focused IT services firms. Clearer tax treatment for software and AI-led services, simpler compliance for cross-border revenues, and targeted support for global market expansion would directly help Indian SaaS companies compete at scale. For businesses building enterprise AI products, support that improves predictability around costs, hiring, and international operations will be critical in moving from steady growth to global leadership.”
These expert insights reflect a shared priority for the Union Budget 2026: allocate dedicated funds for cancer prevention and early detection nationwide, provide policy continuity and incentives for electronics manufacturing value addition, and offer clearer tax/compliance frameworks for IT/SaaS and enterprise AI collectively advancing preventive healthcare access, domestic production resilience, and India’s position as a global tech and innovation leader.
Last Updated on: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 12:35 pm by Business Byte Team | Published by: Business Byte Team on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 12:35 pm | News Categories: News
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