The Union Budget 2025 presented by FM Nirmala Sitaraman has directly positively impacted the masses. This puts more money in the hands of the individuals, a part of which will also be spent on preventive healthcare.

The Union Budget 2025 does not specifically address the IVD-MedTech industry and any of its numerous grouse-points. Thus, there is no direct positive impact on the IVD-MedTech industry.

But various announcements made by the FM, will have a positive impact on the IVD-MedTech industry as part of the overall Indian ecosystem

1. There is a notable focus on preventive healthcare, with allocations for health screenings and awareness programmes to mitigate disease prevalence. Setting up 200 cancer daycare centres and focusing on Medical Tourism will strengthen preventive healthcare by improving early diagnostics.
2. The loan terms have been made easy for the startup and MSME segment. Access to easy capital will drive manufacturing and exports and will include the MedTech industry
3. The budget allocates additional funds for R&D in the healthcare sector, which can foster innovation in IVD technologies.
4. Increase in public health spending will also increase the spending on preventive healthcare and diagnostics.
5. Establishing Centers for Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (for agriculture and health) with a corpus of Rs 500 crore will further enhance the availability of new-age solutions that are being developed by Indian entrepreneurs. This will also drive the availability of quality diagnostics in tier II and III cities
6. The Creation of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs across Government schools will drive curiosity and inculcate the spirit of research and innovation in young minds. This will lead to better skill availability in the mid-term.
7. The capacity enhancement of IITs and IISCs and 10,000 fellowships under the PM Research initiatives will also result in the availability of skilled resources.
8. Better Internet connectivity for PHCs will drive the adoption of AI and
   technology-driven diagnostics solutions The Union Budget 2025 introduces several initiatives that positively impact domestic
   manufacturing and technological innovation. However, certain industry expectations, such as tax rationalisation and reductions in customs duties, remain unaddressed, potentially limiting the full potential of these sectors.

The following aspects have not been touched on in the budget, and thus leave a lot of unfulfilled expectations
 Separate regulatory body for medical devices distinct from pharmaceuticals.
 GST rates remain unchanged. We were looking forward to some aspect of rationalization
 Inverted duty correction to lower raw material import taxes.
 Dedicated technology transfer grants for MedTech innovation.
 Higher RoDTEP rates from 0.6 per cent-0.9 per cent to 2 per cent-2.5 per cent for exports.
 Fast-track approvals for new diagnostic technologies.
 Subsidized loans for domestic MedTech manufacturers.
 Tax incentives for preventive health check-ups under Section 80D.
 Public-private partnerships for research and infrastructure.
 Subsidies for CE/FDA certifications to boost exports.
 Import duty waivers on critical IVD equipment components.
 Grants for indigenous development of imaging technologies.
 Government procurement preference for Indian MedTech products.
 Subsidised training programmes for medical lab technicians.
 Tax breaks for telemedicine expansion in rural areas.
 Strengthened Make-in-India push for self-reliant MedTech growth.

If we are to drive Indian MedTech and Indian healthcare, the Government must address these issues since they are pivotal in driving innovation, improving accessibility, and ensuring quality healthcare for its citizens.