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Union Budget 2026 has buoyed sentiments among multinational pharmaceutical companies, with industry leaders saying the measures will improve ease of doing business, accelerate product launches and reinforce India’s position as a global pharma and life sciences hub.
Rajwinder Mehdwan, managing director & CEO, Roche Pharma India & Neighbouring Markets noted, “Union Budget 2026 places healthcare at the centre of India’s economic progress under the Viksit Bharat vision. The focus on non-communicable diseases like cancer and mental health rightly acknowledges the need for innovative, outcome-driven care”.
Meenakshi Nevatia, country president, Pfizer India, said, “We particularly welcome the Biopharma Shakti, with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore. For companies with long-standing manufacturing and R&D operations in India, these measures provide greater confidence to scale high-quality, globally compliant production in and from India. At Pfizer, we remain committed to partnering with the Government to improve access to medicines for patients.”
Shweta Rai, managing director – India and country division head – South Asia, Bayer Pharmaceuticals said, “The budget's emphasis on supportive R&D tax incentives will further encourage innovation in biologics and biosimilars while rationalisation of customs duties on APIs, raw material and medical devices will strengthen domestic value chains. These support innovation, translate scientific advances into real-world clinical impact, improve patient access to high-quality therapies, and reinforce India’s transition from volume-based manufacturing to value-driven pharmaceutical leadership. We look forward to continued collaboration with the government to advance healthcare innovation.”
Sanjay Vyas, president, managing director, GCC Head India, Parexel said the Biopharma Shakti strategy marks a pivotal moment for clinical research in India. The creation of 1,000 clinical trial sites directly address long-standing gaps in research infrastructure and scale. This can materially improve trial quality, speed and geographic reach, while making India a more reliable destination for global clinical development. For patients, it means earlier access to innovative therapies. For the industry, it brings clarity and confidence that clinical research is now a strategic national priority.”
Winselow Tucker, president & general manager, Eli Lilly and Company (India) said the strong focus on health and biopharma is a welcome step. We also appreciate government’s emphasis on strengthening CDSCO and advancing a more predictable, science-led regulatory framework. Aligning regulatory processes with global standards while expanding India’s clinical research capabilities which will help bring medical innovation to India faster, improve timely patient access to new therapies, and reinforce India’s position as a trusted global life-sciences hub.”
Amitabh Dube, country president and managing director, Novartis India said exempting basic customs duty on 17 critical medicines, signals the Government’s intent to improve access pathways for patients who depend on advanced treatments. The expanded support for rare disease therapies is also noteworthy, given how limited treatment options can be for these conditions. Easing duty-related barriers, helps create an environment where scientific progress can reach patients more effectively.
Rishubh Gupta, managing director – India and Neighbouring Markets, Roche Diagnostics India noted that the stronger regulatory frameworks would help improve access to advanced care at scale, strengthen clinical decision-making, and enhance patient outcomes.
Pompy Sridhar, India – director, MSD for Mothers noted, “The Union Budget 2026-27 represents a forward-looking vision. Anchored in the Government’s three kartavyas: accelerating growth, fulfilling aspirations, and ensuring inclusive access to bridge regional disparities across tier-2 and tier-3 districts. Through system-level strengthening, these measures have the potential to translate investments into sustainable and equitable healthcare outcomes.
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