Union Budget 2025: Sandeep Agarwal on AI, Education, and Deep-Tech Innovation

Sandeep Agarwal, India MD & Global CTO, Visionet Systems

“The announcement of a dedicated Center of Excellence (CoE) in AI for education, with the outlay of 500 crores, is a game-changing step towards developing India’s next generation of innovators and problem solvers. AI is set to transform education by making learning more personalised, adaptable, and accessible. These centres will act as essential hubs for research, training, and real-world AI applications, encouraging collaboration between academia, industry, and government, thereby bridging the skills gap and taking the lead in AI-upskilling.

Also, the initiative for organising a Deep Tech Fund is transformative for India’s startup environment. This plan, investing ₹20,000 crore in research, development, and innovation, would encourage deep-tech firms pioneering AI and new technologies. The combined impact of these efforts— ranging from AI in education to deep-tech funding, will result in a healthy ecosystem in which technology and talent can flourish.

With this Union Budget, the government ensures that the emerging entrepreneurs can develop cutting-edge AI models from the ground up, like how DeepSeek AI was built by the Chinese, thereby keeping India competitive in the global AI race.”