In the Union Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a new Rs 10,000-crore programme called “Biopharma Shakti” to strengthen India’s biopharmaceutical sector as the disease burden shifts toward non-communicable illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders. “I propose the Biopharma Shakti with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years,” the finance minister told Parliament. Biopharmaceuticals, or biologics, are advanced medicines derived from living cells and biological systems, rather than produced through conventional chemical synthesis. The segment has gained prominence as healthcare systems worldwide shift toward treating complex and chronic conditions that require more targeted therapies.Sitharaman said the government would undertake targeted interventions across six priority areas, including manufacturing, strategic and frontier sectors, healthcare, and advanced technologies, as part of its broader industrial and innovation strategy.The initiative reflects a broader government focus on expanding India’s capabilities in advanced biomanufacturing, research and scale-up of high-value biotech products, a segment that has become central as the nation’s health challenges evolve. India’s bioeconomy has seen rapid growth over the last decade, rising from around $10 billion in 2014 to more than $165 billion by 2024, with expectations to reach about $300 billion by 2030 as biotech innovation continues to… Read MoreYourStory RSS Feed
