Quote from Senthil Kumar Hariram, MD and Founder, FTA Global

The marketing sector is a critical driver of brand growth and digital economic value. For it to scale globally, strategic intervention in the upcoming Union Budget is imperative.

We expect a two-pronged focus: first, a significant national AI skilling initiative tailored for the services sector, supported by fiscal incentives for enterprises that upskill their workforce in data analytics and AI-driven customer engagement. This will enhance productivity and ROI for businesses nationwide.

Second, we advocate for enhanced support for the start-up ecosystem, particularly in MarTech and AdTech. This should include streamlined regulatory and fiscal frameworks, R&D grants, and production-linked incentives for developing indigenous marketing technology solutions. Such measures will foster innovation, build sovereign capabilities, and position India as a hub for marketing technology.

Investing in human capital and homegrown innovation will act as a force multiplier, elevating marketing’s strategic role and directly contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy objectives.