The Economic Survey 2026 looked intently at the orange economic value-chain. 234 The budget allocation in 2026-27 termed the orange economy as a priority area for development. The term is deeply misleading in so far as the orange economy refers to any and all economic activities which value production over the whole slogan—the total experience of consumption.
Range of activities is not confined to the production of goods but to their entire consumption experience as offered by different sectors in areas like art, design, media, entertainment, culture, and creative technologies. This economic front was acknowledged in both the Economic Survey and Budget 2026, advocating for a stronger Indian growth trajectory by incorporating the orange economy.
A planned push in Budget 2026.
Budget 2026 put the Talent Development Fund in the spotlight, proposing ₹250 crore for the AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) sectors. The prominence of these creative industries in the Orange Economy will play an important role in job creation, exports, and innovations.
For the high contribution to job creation, the export potential it provides new talented creative force to tap into global demand. IT services have already established India’s place in the industry, and this foray into the creative digital inherits a state logic.
Why the Orange Economy Issue Matters
Unlike the conventional manufacturing-led models for development, the orange economy is full of thoughts, storytelling, design, and cultural expression ideas. Here the IP, the digital platform, and human skills come into play as assets rather than heavy infrastructures.
From films to gaming, and design, from music to immersive experiences, these sectors give India energy on a global platform by becoming one of the foremost contributing sources in soft power. Fully in tune with the contagiously fresh and vastly digital-first-growing population of young India, they fit splendidly with recent consumer behavior that plays in favour of personalized touch and emotional connections.
A Bet on Time
India’s bet on the orange economy comes at an incredibly opportune moment. Given the young demography, already significant but continuously increasing internet penetration and burgeoning digital ecosystems in the country, the potential to grow India’s creative economy looks more favorable by the day. With policy incentives, investment targeting and skills development, the social and financial benefits might be unleashed, both for the culture and economy of India.
India is probably looking ahead at the post-peak conventional growth-option. Orange economy offers the possibility of a collision of cultural strings/history and economic opportunities; therefore, it becomes a strategic and timely bet for the future.
