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Shekar Sanyal, Director and Country Head of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), praised the Union Budget 2018 for its focus on quality education, highlighting the Diksha initiative's teacher training objectives as a significant move. He noted that the IET's support through its Faraday program, which emphasizes STEM education for teachers and students, aligns well with the budget's digital learning priorities and the broader Digital India movement. The proposal to establish 18 additional IITs and NIITs, coupled with a scheme to identify talented B.Tech students from premier engineering institutes and provide them higher education opportunities at IITs and IISc, represents what the IET views as a promising step toward making India an education hub.

The Union Budget 2018-19 received strong support from the business and fintech sectors. Thiru Vengadam, Regional Vice President India at Epicor Software, welcomed the government's proposals to reduce corporate tax for firms reporting turnover up to Rs. 250 crore and the allocation of credit support funds for MSMEs in 2018-19. He emphasized that while technology adoption serves as a key enabler for MSME business growth, working capital finance constraints often prevent these enterprises from leveraging technology solutions such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) to operate more efficiently and innovate. Similarly, Ravi B. Goyal, Chairman and Managing Director of AGS Transact Technologies, highlighted the government's recognition of MSME potential and noted that fintech companies would play a critical role in the emerging financial ecosystem for MSME growth, with online loan approvals expected to reduce cash shortages.

Mitesh Shah, Head of Finance at BookMyShow, characterized the budget as both populist and pragmatic, applauding its focus on the rural economy and digitalization expansion. The budget's allocation for Digital India and proposed provision of high-speed connectivity and Wi-Fi access to 5 crore rural citizens, along with tax disallowance on cash expenditures above Rs. 10,000 for all entities, were cited as significant pushes for the digital movement. Shah noted the inclusion of 'Significant Economic Presence' in the definition of 'Business Connection', which would classify digital presence of non-resident enterprises in India as taxable irrespective of physical office presence, as a provision that would bring major shifts in nexus rules under DTAA. He also highlighted positive developments for startups, including the extension of Section 80-IAC benefits to startups incorporated between April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2021, and relief from MAT for companies admitted under the Insolvency Resolution Process.

Ravi B. Goyal further emphasized that the doubling of Digital India scheme allocation to Rs. 3073 crore would provide financial inclusion with the needed impetus, while the announcement of Rs. 10,000 crore for creating 5 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots to provide broadband access to 5 crore rural citizens would deepen Digital India's penetration into remote areas. The government's plans to introduce a toll system on a 'pay as you use' basis, replacing cash toll payments with Fastags and electronic payment systems, were expected to enhance road travel experiences. With 99 percent of corporates now covered under the reduced corporate tax rate of 25 percent, the Finance Minister was seen as having substantially fulfilled the commitment to rationalize corporate tax made in 2015, positioning the government's vision as aligned with economic, societal and technological changes.