Budget 2025: Tech in Focus With Framework for GCCs, New ‘Fund of Funds’ for startups, CoE for AI

New and rising applied sciences have been in focus within the Union Budget, as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a nationwide framework for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), Rs 500-crore Centre of Excellence in AI for training, and stated a deep tech ‘Fund of Funds’ might be explored to catalyse the following era startups.

A brand new Fund of Funds, with expanded scope and a contemporary contribution of extra Rs 10,000 crore can also be on anvil.

A nationwide framework might be formulated as steering to states for selling Global Capability Centres in rising Tier-2 cities. This will recommend measures for enhancing availability of expertise and infrastructure, constructing byelaw reforms, and mechanisms for collaboration with business.

“I had announced three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities in 2023. Now a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore,” Sitharaman stated.

Startups have a motive for cheer additionally as a brand new ‘Fund of Funds’ with expanded scope and a contemporary contribution of extra Rs 10,000 crore might be arrange.

“The Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs) for startups have received commitments of more than Rs 91,000 crore. These are supported by the Fund of Funds set up with a government contribution of Rs 10,000 crore. Now, a new fund of funds, with expanded scope and a fresh contribution of another Rs 10,000 crore will be set up,” she stated.

Gaja Capital Managing Partner Gopal Jain stated the introduction of a brand new Fund of Funds for AIFs, and a Center of Excellence for AI in Education are all “promising steps” towards fostering a knowledge-driven financial system.

To enhance entry to capital, the credit score assure cowl might be enhanced for startups, from Rs 10 crore to twenty crore, with the assure payment being moderated to 1 per cent for loans in 27 focus sectors key for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Bruce Keith, Co-founder CEO, InvestorAi believes that the announcement on deep tech funds, whereas particulars are awaited, must be considered by the ‘DeepSearch’ lens of what could be executed with comparatively small quantities of capital when offered to agile and inventive groups.

“We expect the venture capital ecosystem to bring velocity and momentum into funding these enterprises,” Keith stated.

It is pertinent to say right here that the India GCC panorama has been progressing over the previous 5 years and the full variety of such centres have risen to over 1,700 in FY24 with over 2,975 centres.

Jaspreet Singh, Partner and GCC Industry Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat stated that the Budget’s concentrate on increasing expertise availability and infrastructure in Tier-2 cities marks a major step in strengthening India’s Global Capability Centre ecosystem.

“By unlocking access to a wider talent pool, including professionals who prefer to stay in their hometowns, this initiative will enhance workforce stability and retention. Improved infrastructure will further enable seamless operations, making Tier-2 cities attractive destinations for high-value global work,” Singh stated.

As GCCs evolve into strategic hubs for innovation and expertise, the enlargement will drive inclusive progress, scale back regional disparities, and place India as a worldwide chief in digital and enterprise companies, Singh stated and famous {that a} well-distributed GCC community will guarantee long-term resilience, scalability, and international competitiveness.

“The creation of the Deep Tech Fund of Funds will empower India’s deep-tech entrepreneurship, and fuel India’s global competitiveness in the AI race. With access to capital being a persistent challenge, the policy measures will increasing credit guarantee coverage for startups from Rs. 10 crore to Rs. 20 crore, enhancing access to capital,” stated Prabhu Ram, VP – Industry Research Group (IRG), CyberMedia Research.

“India currently has the smallest talent demand-supply gap and is on track to achieve a skilled talent surplus by 2030. The expansion of IITs and the establishment of AI Centers of Excellence (CoEs) will strengthen India’s talent pool in emerging technologies, particularly AI. The PM Research Fellowship Scheme will also support innovation by offering 10,000 fellowships over the next five years at prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and IISc,” he added.