Budget 2026 unveils Rs 10,000 Crore ‘Biopharma Shakti’ scheme to fight India’s rising non-communicable diseases

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has flagged India’s fast-changing disease profile, noting that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are emerging as the country’s biggest healthcare challenge, and biologic medicines will play a defining role in improving longevity and quality of life.

Presenting the Union Budget 2026, Sitharaman announced Biopharma Shakti, a new flagship initiative with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over five years, aimed at strengthening India’s bio-pharma ecosystem across the entire value chain.

The focus is on building ecosystems for domestic production of biologicals and biosimilars, strengthening regulatory capacity, and creating 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites.

“The future of healthcare lies in innovation-led biologic medicines,” Sitharaman said, adding that Biopharma Shakti will focus on boosting research, scaling up manufacturing, and accelerating innovation in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The programme is expected to support cutting-edge R&D, facilitate industry–academia collaboration, and enable the creation of world-class biomanufacturing infrastructure.

Industry observers see Biopharma Shakti as a timely intervention, especially as global demand for biologics rises sharply and India looks to replicate its success in small-molecule generics in the high-value biologics segment.

Nilesh Maheshwari, Partner and Pharma, Bio Tech & Life Sciences Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat, commented: “The INR 10,000 crore outlay under Biopharma Shakti will significantly accelerate India’s transition towards innovation-driven pharmaceuticals by strengthening research infrastructure, advanced technology hubs, and clinical standards, enabling progress in biologics, vaccines, and next-generation therapies. It will enhance domestic capacity, lower the cost of life-saving biologics, and support broader healthcare affordability- critical as India faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases.”

The initiative is also positioned as a strategic move to cement India’s ambition of becoming a global bio-pharma hub, while ensuring affordable access to advanced therapies for domestic patients. By strengthening local capabilities, the government aims to reduce import dependence, enhance export competitiveness, and prepare India’s healthcare system to manage the long-term burden of chronic diseases.

With this announcement, Budget 2026 places biopharma innovation firmly at the centre of India’s public health and industrial growth strategy, aligning healthcare priorities with long-term economic and demographic realities.