Budget 2025 - Views from the IT-MSMES

Views about Budget announcements on IT segments including AI and Deep Techs, MSMEs, Make in India, Infrastructure developments etc.

- DR ARCHANA VERMA

The Budget of 2025-26 was presented by the Finance Minister today. It contained many features for the middle class, youth, farmers and for women. It appears that the recent political campaigns by different parties going on in Delhi had an impact on the government's framing of the economic policies for this financial year. These segments have been in major focus in these campaigns.

Apart from these segments mentioned above, MSMEs were given a special mention in the budget.

Schemes such as issuing of credit cards with a limit of 5 lakhs to the MSMEs, increase of credit availability from 5 crores to 10 crores and revision of classification criteria for MSMEs are some important steps taken in this budget. According to the new classification, micro enterprises have been redefined with a turnover of 10 crores as against 5 crores earlier, small enterprises with a turnover of 100 crores as against 50 crores earlier and medium enterprises with a turnover of 500 crores as against 250 crores earlier.

Indirect tax benefits include exemption of tariffs for Make in India LCD/LED TVs and for mobile phones.

Personal income tax slabs have been revised keeping in mind the middle class and may also apply to many MSMEs. These include no tax upto 4 lakhs, 5% upto 8 lakhs, 10% upto 12 lakhs and 15% upto 16 lakhs of annual income. Specifically, for the IT and Telecom sector, the government proposes to spend Rs 95,298 Crores in this FY.

Although nothing specific related to the IT is outlined in the government's policy this year, the focus on manufacturing, MSMEs, skilling and investment in R&D has attracted the attention of IT business leaders.

DEVESH RASTOGI

PRESIDENT, FEDERATION OF ALL INDIA IT FEDERATION (FAIITA)

He has highlighted some takeaways from the Budget announcements –