Budget reaction quotes from various industry experts

India

healthysoch

New Delhi, February 02, 2026:

According to Dr. Dharminder Nagar Managing Director, Paras Health & Co-Chair, FICCI Healthcare Committee: “Backing a bio-pharma manufacturing ecosystem with sustained public investment sends a strong signal that India is serious about self-reliance in complex medicines. This support will not only accelerate research and production for diabetes and autoimmune conditions, but also lower costs, expand access, and position India as a global hub for affordable biologics.”

According to Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director – Surgical Oncology at the CK Birla Hospital, Delhi: “This announcement brings much-needed relief to cancer patients and their families, particularly those undergoing treatment for rare and advanced cancers where access to specialised medicines is often limited by high costs. The exemption of basic customs duty on 17 essential cancer drugs, along with the inclusion of seven additional rare diseases under duty-free personal imports, will significantly reduce the financial burden on patients who already face prolonged and intensive treatment journeys.

By improving affordability and easing access to life-saving therapies that are not manufactured domestically, this move can help ensure timely treatment and better clinical outcomes. Such patient-centric policy interventions demonstrate a strong commitment to making cancer care more equitable and accessible and will have a meaningful impact on both survival and quality of life for patients across the country.”

According to Dr Navin Dang, Founder and Director Dr Dangs Lab: “Training 1.5 lakh caregivers, building five regional hubs for medical value tourism, and upskilling optometrists, radiographers and allied professionals together strengthen India’s healthcare workforce while improving quality, access and global competitiveness.”

According to Dr Shyam Aggarwal, Chairman, Medical Oncology , Sir Ganga Ram Hospital: ” We welcome , The BCD exemption on 17 cancer drugs and duty-free personal import of medicines and food for seven rare diseases is a compassionate policy move that will directly reduce treatment costs, improve access to life-saving therapies, and ease the financial burden on patients and their families.”

According to Dr Vinay Agrawal, Former National President IMA and Chairman Pushpanjali Healthcare: “Strengthening India’s generic pharma ecosystem is critical to making long-term treatment for autoimmune disorders affordable. Policy and budgetary support for domestic generics can dramatically reduce therapy costs, ensuring patients are not forced to choose between financial stability and continued care.”

According to Dr Harsh Mahajan , Mentor , FICCI Health Sector and Founder and Chairman Mahajan Imaging & Labs: “Strengthening India’s generic pharma ecosystem is critical to making long-term treatment for autoimmune disorders affordable. Policy and budgetary support for domestic generics can dramatically reduce therapy costs, ensuring patients are not forced to choose between financial stability and continued care.”

According to Deepak Chopra , founder president Thalassemics India and Mentor ,Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group (TPAG): “For Thalassemic patients, we welcome strengthening India’s generic pharma ecosystem is critical to making long-term treatment affordable. Policy and budgetary support for domestic generics can dramatically reduce therapy costs, ensuring patients are not forced to choose between financial stability and continued care.”

Shubhendra Singh Thakur, CEO, Erlysign : “The Budget signals a positive intent to strengthen India’s healthcare and biotechnology ecosystem, particularly through initiatives like Biopharma Shakti, which can play a meaningful role in advancing research, innovation, and domestic manufacturing. For health-tech and diagnostics startups, long-term funding support and a clear push toward innovation are essential to translating scientific breakthroughs into scalable, real-world solutions.

The steady increase in healthcare allocations over recent years, culminating in a higher outlay for FY26, reflects a growing recognition of the sector’s importance. Continued focus on health research, early detection, and preventive care will be critical in improving patient outcomes while also positioning India as a global hub for affordable and innovation-led healthcare.”

According to Rajeev Taneja , Founder, GlobalCare Health (Medical Tourism): “The Union Budget 2026–27 signals a clear shift in how India is building medical value travel, moving from fragmented offerings to integrated healthcare ecosystems. The proposed five regional medical tourism hubs, along with Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres, aim to simplify the international patient journey by bringing treatment, recovery, wellness and logistics into one coordinated framework.

The ecosystem approach, combining hospitals, diagnostics, rehabilitation, AYUSH, research and education, alongside training of allied health professionals, can raise consistency, speed of care pathways and global patient confidence. Beyond infrastructure, the focus on capacity building and private-sector partnerships reflects a mature strategy that prioritises execution. India is at a critical juncture in healthcare where policy, technology and infrastructure can converge to redefine India’s medical capabilities. At Globalcare Health, we see this as a call to action to build capacity, create global medical routes, and enable knowledge transfer and manufacturing for a wider economic impact in developing Indian cities”.

According to Dr. Chanchal Agrawal , Founder and clinical Director, Walnut clinic, Pune: “Union Budget 2026 sends a powerful message that healthcare is no longer just a social obligation, but a national growth engine. The focus on strengthening district hospitals, expanding trauma and emergency care centres, and building a skilled caregiver ecosystem will significantly improve access to quality healthcare across India, especially in Tier II and Tier III cities. The emphasis on allied health professionals, medical value tourism and technology-driven healthcare delivery aligns perfectly with India’s vision of a Viksit Bharat one where quality healthcare is accessible, affordable and globally competitive. For hospitals and practitioners, this Budget creates the right ecosystem to invest in modern infrastructure, advanced treatment, and patient-centric care. As an ophthalmologist, I also see this as an opportunity to expand preventive eye care, early diagnosis and advanced vision treatments, ensuring that millions of Indians can lead healthier, more productive lives”, says Dr Sharoon Shitole, Consultant Ophthalmologist & Managing Director, Vencer Hospital, Pune.

“I welcome the government’s recognition of the critical role that Applied Psychology and Behavioural Health professionals play in India’s healthcare ecosystem. This acknowledgement is both timely and necessary. At Walnut Clinics, we work extensively with children on the autism spectrum and those with neurodevelopmental and behavioural challenges. One of our biggest constraints has been the limited availability of well-trained Allied Health Professionals. As a result, we invest heavily in in-house training and capacity building to ensure quality care for our patients. The government’s initiative to upgrade existing AHP institutions and establish new ones is a significant step towards bridging this gap. It also reflects a deeper understanding of India’s evolving disease burden, which is increasingly shifting towards lifestyle-related conditions, autoimmune disorders, and genetic and neurodevelopmental conditions. These challenges require a multidisciplinary approach, where applied psychologists, behavioural health specialists, and other AHPs are integral to long-term outcomes. I applaud the government’s insight into the changing nature of health and healthcare in our country and its commitment to strengthening the Allied Health workforce to meet future needs”.

According to Rishubh Gupta, Managing Director – India and Neighbouring Markets, Roche Diagnostics India Pvt Ltd on Union Budget 2026-27: “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 at scale, strengthen clinical decision-making, and enhance patient outcomes.

As national institutions, including mental health services, are strengthened, robust diagnostics and equitable investment in screening remain critical to enabling early, accurate diagnosis and effective disease management.

Together, these measures reinforce India’s ambition to emerge as a trusted global healthcare hub as it advances toward Viksit Bharat 2047.