Budget 2025: Biotech stakeholders welcome focus on R&D, digitalization

Will the budget propel India's biotech industry toward becoming a global powerhouse, or are there gaps that need to be addressed? Here’s how the sector is responding.

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New Delhi: The Union Budget 2025 has set the stage for India’s biotech sector, with policy measures aimed at fostering innovation, strengthening R&D, and accelerating biomanufacturing. Will the budget propel India’s biotech industry toward becoming a global powerhouse, or are there gaps that need to be addressed? Here’s how the sector is responding.
Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO, Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited in his comments said, “The Union Budget 2025 reinforces India’s commitment to innovation, healthcare accessibility, and women’s empowerment. Strengthening R&D and fostering industry collaboration will accelerate biotech and pharmaceutical advancements, making India a global hub for healthcare innovation. However, the wait for the PRIP schemes is getting longer than expected!”
“The focus on nutrition and maternal health through targeted programs is a crucial step in building a healthier future. Additionally, improving access to lifesaving drugs and streamlining regulatory pathways will enhance affordability and availability of critical treatments. A strong push towards policy and infrastructure support will further drive healthcare transformation, ensuring equitable and sustainable impact,” added Navangul.
Sharing his insights, Surajit Chakrabartty, CFO, MedGenome said, “This year’s budget takes several positive steps in advancing India’s healthcare sector. Key initiatives, such as strengthening healthcare infrastructure through public private partnerships, expanding medical education opportunities, increasing the number of seats in medical colleges and hospitals and building Centres of Excellence for AI in health reiterate the Government’s focus on creating a robust future for healthcare delivery in the country.
“We are optimistic that the significant investments in infrastructure, innovation, research, and skill-building outlined in the budget will further our cause. The Finance Minister’s focus on strengthening regulations across various industries is a welcome move. We firmly believe that regulatory measures in the genomics sector will not only foster a competitive environment but will also accelerate growth and innovation in the right direction,” added Chakrabartty.
Krishna Mohan Puvvada, Regional President for MEIA Region, Novonesis said, “The Finance Minister’s budget speech, with its strong focus on agriculture, is highly encouraging. The schemes addressing improvements in low-productivity districts, the boost for pulses, and high yielding seeds, along with the comprehensive programme for vegetables and fruits collectively promise a strong future for India’s agricultural productivity. This comprehensive approach will ensure India’s continued progress towards becoming an agricultural powerhouse. Further, the BioE3 policy announced last year will only serve to strengthen all efforts towards boosting crop productivity in India. We at Novonesis, look forward to partnering in India’s agricultural growth by harnessing the power of biosolutions.”
Vishal Goel, MD, Rx Propellant commented, “Among the ten broad areas outlined in the Union Budget 2025-26, two—Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation and Nurturing Innovation—are highly relevant to India’s life sciences sector. The ₹20,000 crore allocation for private-sector-driven R&D, along with the proposed Deep Tech Fund of Funds, underscores the government’s commitment to promoting biotech and medtech innovation.”
“This strategic investment is expected to accelerate cutting-edge research, translational medicine, and breakthrough discoveries, strengthening India’s position as a global hub for life sciences R&D. The emphasis on deep tech and innovation-driven enterprises will facilitate greater collaboration between academia and industry, creating an ecosystem conducive to high-value research and technology commercialization,” added Goel.