Union Budget 2026: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented her ninth consecutive Union Budget in the Parliament. Among many other announcements, she highlighted the 'orange economy', a term which could be new for many. The 'orange economy' is very important sector in terms of creating jobs in the IT (information technology) sector.
20 Lakh New Jobs In Orange Economy Sector: IT Minister
Reacting to the announcement by Sitharaman, Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the orange economy is set to create around 20 lakh new jobs in India, and the content creator labs will be set up in 15,000 high schools and 500 colleges. Now, the question arises: What is the orange economy?
The 'Orange Economy'
The Orange Economy, also known as the creative economy, is an economy based on art, culture, creativity, intellectual property, and technology, which generates economic value from ideas, imagination, and human talent. It is called "Orange" because the color orange is considered a symbol of creativity, energy, and culture worldwide.
The main sectors included in the Orange Economy are: Films, TV and digital content animation, Visual Effects (VFX), Gaming and Comics (AVGC) music, theatre, dance and performing arts fashion, design, graphics and advertising
Publishing, photography digital media and social media content creation.
What Has Govt Announced?
In the budget, the government said India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector is a growing industry, projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. The Finance Minister proposed to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges. In Higher Education STEM institutions, prolonged hours of study and laboratory work pose some challenges for girl students. Through VGF/capital support, 1 girls hostel will be established in every district.
"I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges. This move is expected to boost India's next-generation creator workforce, powering jobs, startups, etc," she told Parliament.
What Is The Status Of Orange Economy In India?
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India is a global hub for media and entertainment production, offering costeffective and scalable infrastructure that attracts major international studios. Indian studios have contributed to global blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame, The Jungle Book, Life of Pi, Frozen, The Lion King, Madagascar, and many others, proving their high-end VFX capabilities
Animation and VFX costs are 40% to 60% lower in India than in the West1, and India has built a large, skilled workforce of around 260,000 creators and engineers2 to support global production workflows. Global programming spending is expected to grow by 5.3% in 2025 to US$206 billion, led by Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and others, across scaled subscription and advertising models, as well as increased bundling, and India is expected to play a larger role in the same Media AI and tech capabilities.