Budget 2025-26: Bridging India’s Ancient Wisdom with a Modern Knowledge Economy
Sidhharrth S Kumaar 
The Budget 2025-26 introduces the Gyan Bharatam Mission, not just as an effort to preserve ancient manuscripts but as a transformative initiative for India's cultural and economic resurgence. Under this mission, over 1 crore ancient manuscripts will be digitized and integrated into a National Digital Repository, making India's vast heritage in Ayurveda, Jyotish Shastra (Vedic Astrology), Vastu, Tantra, and Philosophy accessible to scholars, researchers, and global institutions. This initiative will position India as a global knowledge economy, where ancient wisdom meets modern innovation, fostering new research, startups in heritage technology, and economic opportunities in education, tourism, and intellectual property.
At the same time, the budget strengthens startups and MSMEs by expanding funding and easing credit access. The introduction of MSME Credit Cards with up to ₹5 lakh in working capital and ₹10 crore in credit guarantees will empower small businesses to scale operations. Additionally, for the first time, SC entrepreneurs and women-led startups will receive up to ₹2 crore in collateral-free loans, ensuring greater financial inclusion and entrepreneurial growth.
This budget lays the foundation for a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economic transformation, integrating traditional Indian sciences with global research while fueling startups, MSMEs, and employment opportunities. By bridging India’s past with its future, this initiative ensures that India emerges as a global leader in knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurship, making its rich intellectual heritage a cornerstone of its economic prosperity.
