Budget Reactions

Mr Saurabh Agarwal

Director HAB Pharma

Budget 2026–27 advances the vision of Viksit Bharat by placing manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, MSMEs and export competitiveness at the core of India’s growth strategy, with a focused push to scale seven strategic sectors and rejuvenate legacy industrial clusters to improve productivity and cost efficiency. The ₹10,000 crore Biopharma SHAKTI programme strengthens...

Dr Sajeev Nair

Founder & Chairman Vieroots

"The 2026–27 Union Budget presents an encouraging step in addressing the pressing need for affordable treatment of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. With initiatives like BioPharma Shakti, it becomes evident that biologic medicines are no longer niche therapies but are central to longevity, quality of life, and preventive...

Rajwinder Mehdwan

Managing Director & CEO Roche Pharma India & Neighbouring Markets

"Union Budget 2026 places healthcare at the centre of India’s economic progress under the Viksit Bharat vision. The focus on non-communicable diseases such as cancer and mental health rightly acknowledges their growing impact on India’s health outcomes and the need for innovative, outcome-driven care. We welcome the emphasis on Biopharma...

Mr. Raheel Shah

Business Development Director BDR Pharmaceuticals

The Union Budget’s focus on developing India’s pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sector, especially through the ‘Biopharma Shakti’ initiative with a funding of ₹10,000 crores, is a welcome and well-planned step given the shift in the country’s disease burden towards non-communicable diseases. In this context, other initiatives like the exemption of basic...

Mr Namit Joshi

Chairman Pharmexcil

"The Union Budget 2026–27 reinforces the kartavya of India’s pharmaceutical exporters to sustain the country’s leadership as the pharmacy of the world. Pharma exports today are a critical contributor to India’s trade balance, foreign exchange earnings, and global health security. And this is driven largely by MSMEs that form the...

Mr Mohan Jain

Director Naprod Life Sciences

"Budget 2026 is a strong endorsement of India’s MSME-led pharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly for companies operating in complex and critical therapy areas such as oncology. The Biopharma SHAKTI initiative provides a timely push to strengthen domestic capabilities in advanced formulations and biologics, while faster regulatory approvals and a stronger CDSCO will...

Mr. Masaharu Morita

Founder & Program Director NURA

The Union Budget 2026 places longevity and chronic disease management at the centre of India’s healthcare and life sciences agenda. The ₹10,000-crore Biopharma Shakti initiative recognises the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the need to scale investments in biologics, diagnostics, early screening and clinical research. This marks a clear...

Mr. G Srinivasan

MD & CEO Galaxy Health Insurance

The proposed expansion of allied health professionals across diagnostics, rehabilitation, mental and peri-operative care, through the upgradation of institutions and the addition of one lakh professionals over the next five years, strengthens healthcare capacity and eases pressure on hospitals. Faster diagnosis, shorter lengths of stay and more efficient care delivery...

Mr. Dhruv Gupta

Co-founder, Orange Health Labs

"We welcome the future-forward Union Budget from a healthcare perspective; it outlines a strong vision for India’s healthcare and life sciences ecosystem, with diagnostics set to play a crucial role in advancing innovation, quality care, and global competitiveness. As part of a major effort to establish India as a global...

Chaitanya Sarawate

Managing Director Wipro GE Healthcare President & CEO GE HealthCare South Asia

"In line with the Viksit Bharat vision, the Union Budget 2026 takes a balanced approach to strengthening both supply and demand. It clearly signals intent to deepen India’s pharma and medtech manufacturing ecosystem through greater manufacturing depth, infrastructure expansion, regulatory maturity, and technology readiness. On the demand side, the focus...

Mr. Avinav Nigam

Founder & CEO TERN Group

Budget 2026 puts Yuva Shakti at the centre of India’s growth story at a time when the world is facing the largest workforce shortage ageing economies have ever seen. By some estimates, advanced economies will be short nearly 85 million workers over the next decade, even as AI reshapes how...

Mr. Ashok Nair

Managing Director RPG Life Sciences

"Biopharma Shakti is a strong and timely signal that India wants to scale up capabilities in biosimilars and compete more confidently in global markets. The Budget proposes an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over the next five years to build the ecosystem for domestic production of biologics and biosimilars. What makes...

Arushi Jain

Director Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

"We see the Union Budget 2026 as a very encouraging step for the future of healthcare and biopharma in India. It creates the kind of stable, long-term ecosystem the industry needs to plan boldly and invest with confidence. With the Rs 10,000 crore Biopharma Shakti programme, stronger research, expanded clinical...

Dr. Anand K.

Managing Director & CEO Agilus Diagnostics Ltd

The Union Budget’s proposal to establish regional medical hubs is a forward-looking step towards building an integrated, patient-centric healthcare ecosystem. By co-locating AYUSH systems with advanced diagnostics and post-treatment rehabilitation, these hubs will strengthen the continuum of care—enabling early detection, holistic treatment and structured recovery. The emphasis on evidence-based diagnostics...

Ajay Sharma

Director Shree Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan Pvt Ltd

Union Budget 2026–27 reinforces the growing importance of traditional wellness systems within India’s holistic healthcare strategy. The renewed focus on skill development, healthcare training and allied services, along with the upgradation of AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing laboratories to higher standards, will significantly enhance the quality, safety and credibility of Ayurveda...

Dr. Tarang Gianchandani

Group CEO, Healthcare Initiatives, Chief Executive Officer Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital

Budget 2026 offers a positive and people-centric approach to the healthcare system in India, with proposals that have the potential to bring a positive change in the lives of patients and their families. Improving the growth of biologics and biosimilars, including 17 key drugs for non-communicable diseases such as cancer,...

Shweta Rai

Managing Director – India and Country Division Head – South Asia Bayer Pharmaceuticals

"The Union Budget 2026 positions healthcare and life sciences as a critical pillar of India’s long-term economic and social progress, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat. We welcome the government’s focus on the Biopharma Shakti initiative, with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over the next five years, which will...

Mr Vishal Bali

Executive Chairman Asia healthcare Holdings

Budget 2026 was expected to bring multiple reforms for the growth of the healthcare sector including a major push to medical technology manufacturing in India. The total allocation for the healthcare sector has moved marginally from Rs 99,858 cr in 2025 to Rs 1,04,599 cr in 2026 which effectively means...

Rishubh Gupta

Managing Director, India and Neighboring Markets Roche Diagnostics India Pvt Ltd

The Union Budget 2025–26 takes meaningful steps to strengthen India’s healthcare ecosystem while preparing it for evolving patient and system needs. Stronger regulatory frameworks, faster approvals, and the expansion of healthcare capacity through regional medical hubs beyond metros—along with a skilled allied healthcare workforce—will help improve access to advanced care...

Mrs. Veena Khandke

SVP & Managing Director Ensono India

"The Union Budget 2026 represents the Government of India's bold commitment to positioning the IT services sector as the cornerstone of 'Viksit Bharat.' As a global leader in cloud migration, mainframe modernization, and digital transformation, Ensono applauds game-changing reforms that boost ease of doing business. The Safe Harbor threshold expansion...

Dr Dharminder Nagar

Co-Chair, FICCI Health & Services MD, Paras Health

"The Union Budget brings reassurance for patients and families at a time when healthcare costs are rising and lifestyle-related illnesses are becoming more common, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where access to specialised care remains limited. The focus on strengthening the biopharma ecosystem is particularly timely, as...

Mr. Sushil Suri

Chairman & Managing Director Morepen Laboratories

We welcome the Union Budget 2026–27 and congratulate Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting a forward-looking, reform-oriented Budget that strengthens India’s manufacturing and healthcare ecosystem. The strong emphasis on biopharma manufacturing, ease of doing business, infrastructure creation and export competitiveness reinforces...

Dr. Simon Grant

Physician & Trustee Ruby Hall Clinic

The government has played a major role in strengthening healthcare accessibility, quality, and affordability across India. The establishment of five regional medical hubs in collaboration with the private sector will enable the delivery of world-class healthcare to underserved populations while creating employment opportunities for doctors, allied health professionals, and support...

Shreehas Tambe

CEO & MD Biocon Biologics

Biopharma SHAKTI with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore is a well-timed and much-needed step, especially when seen alongside the earlier ₹1 lakh crore commitment announced in November 2025, to research, development and innovation. Together, these measures clearly signal the government’s intent to strengthen Bharat’s biopharmaceutical capabilities and catalyse innovation-led growth....

Dr Devi Prasad Shetty

Founder & Chairman Narayana Health

Healthcare has received thoughtful and well-directed attention in this year’s Budget, reflecting the Government’s recognition that a strong healthcare system is integral to India’s economic and social resilience. We appreciate the Hon’ble Finance Minister’s measured focus on strengthening healthcare as a long-term national priority. The ₹10,000 crore Bio Pharma Shakti...

Dr G.S.K. Velu

Chairman & Managing Director Trivitron Healthcare, Chairman & Managing Director, Maxivision Eye Hospitals, Chairman & Managing Director, Neuberg Diagnostics.

Budget 2026 positions India to accelerate its transition from volume-driven production to value-driven global leadership across pharmaceuticals, biopharma, and medical devices, with Biopharma Shakti as its anchor and a renewed focus on regulatory and manufacturing reforms that assure reduced compliances. The ₹10,000 crore commitment to strengthening the biopharma, biotech, and...

Dr. Seema Pai

President Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR)

The Union Budget 2026 is a timely and strategic intervention for India’s clinical research and biopharma ecosystem. The Biopharma Shakti initiative, backed by an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over the next five years, directly addresses long-standing gaps in trial readiness, skilled clinical research manpower, and globally aligned regulatory practices. Plans...

Dr. Azad Moopen

Founder & Chairman Aster DM Healthcare

Today’s Budget lays out a thoughtful and forward-looking blueprint for India’s healthcare ecosystem—one that seamlessly integrates innovation, access, capacity expansion and global competitiveness. The Biopharma Shakti initiative, with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years and a clear focus on strengthening research, manufacturing and regulatory capabilities, will play a...

Dr. Arun Singhvi

MD & Group CEO ASG Eye Hospital

The government’s initiative to upgrade and establish new Allied Health Professional (AHP) institutions is a big step for Indian healthcare. By adding one lakh certified professionals across ten essential disciplines—including optometry, radiology, and OT technology—the budget directly tackles the talent shortage that has long slowed down the scaling of quality...