Nvidia releases a new version of its vGPU software, expanding virtual GPU capabilities for cloud and remote computing workloads.

The Union Budget 2018 has been welcomed by India's education sector as a significant step toward quality improvement and talent development. Shekar Sanyal, Director and Country Head of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), praised the budget's "very specific focus on quality of education" and highlighted the Diksha initiative for teacher training as a major positive development. He noted that the IET would extend support through its Faraday program, which emphasizes STEM education for teachers and students. A key feature of the government's vision, according to Sanyal, is the plan to set up an additional 18 IITs and NIITs, along with a scheme to identify bright B Tech students at premier engineering institutes and provide them higher education opportunities at the IITs and IISc. Sanyal expressed optimism that these measures would help realize the vision of "making India an education hub."

The budget has been equally well-received by the business sector, particularly regarding support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Thiru Vengadam, Regional Vice President India at Epicor Software, welcomed the proposals to reduce corporate tax for firms reporting turnover up to Rs. 250 crore, thereby reducing the tax burden on MSMEs. The government has allocated funds for 2018-19 to provide credit support to MSMEs, addressing a critical constraint that has historically prevented these businesses from adopting technology solutions such as enterprise resource planning (ERP). According to Vengadam, these credit provisions and tax breaks will "help reduce capital constraints and encourage investment in IT solutions" that enable businesses to "work smarter, operate more efficiently and be innovative."

The budget's emphasis on digitalization and rural development has generated considerable enthusiasm among technology and fintech companies. Mitesh Shah, Head of Finance at BookMyShow, characterized the budget as "both populist as well as pragmatic," emphasizing its focus on extending digitalization to rural citizens and growing the rural economy. The budget has doubled the allocation to the Digital India scheme to Rs. 3073 crore and announced Rs. 10,000 crore for creating 5 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots to provide broadband access to 5 crore rural citizens. Ravi B. Goyal, Chairman and Managing Director of AGS Transact Technologies, noted that these initiatives will provide "the much needed impetus" to financial inclusion and enable the FinTech and Banking Payments Services industry to enhance growth. Additionally, the government's plans to implement a toll system on a "pay as you use" basis with Fastags and electronic payment systems will replace cash toll payments and "make road travel experience effective and seamless."

The budget also introduces several significant tax and regulatory reforms that will shape India's digital economy. A notable provision includes the "Significant Economic Presence" in the definition of "Business Connection," whereby even digital presence of non-resident enterprises in India through digital platforms shall be construed as taxable presence irrespective of whether or not the non-resident has a place of business in India or renders services there. Startup ecosystem benefits have been extended, with the benefit of deduction u/s 80-IAC extended to startups incorporated after 1st April, 2019 but before 1st April, 2021. Shah noted that "with 99 percent of corporates now being covered under the reduced corporate tax rate of 25 percent," the Finance Minister has fulfilled the commitment to rationalize corporate tax made in 2015. However, Shah observed that "some more direct incentives for promoting digital ecosystem in form of lower MDR or cashbacks would have been welcomed by online platforms as well as merchants," while commending the move to levy 10 percent LTCG as "commendable in the larger interest of the Economy and Fiscal situation."