UNION BUDGET 2026 REACTION - Healthcare
City Air News
Feb 1, 2026 04:13
0
Budget 2026–27 is one of the most structured and future-ready healthcare budgets we have seen in recent years, with a clear line of sight from vision to execution. The government has thoughtfully stitched together health education, healthcare infrastructure, cancer and NCD care, skilling, AYUSH and medical tourism into one coherent Viksit Bharat health strategy, rather than a set of isolated schemes. For the MedTech ecosystem, four elements stand out: the expansion of Allied Health Professional institutions and training of 1 lakh AHPs and 1.5 lakh caregivers, which will directly improve utilisation of medical and assistive devices at the last mile; the creation of five Regional Medical Hubs for medical value tourism with integrated facilities for diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation; the strengthening of AYUSH infrastructure through new All India Institutes of Ayurveda and upgraded drug testing labs; and the proposed networked expansion of NIPERs under Biopharma SHAKTI, which will deepen India’s R&D and human capital base in biopharma and high-end medical technologies. The decision to bolster CDSCO with a dedicated scientific review cadre under this umbrella sends a strong signal on India’s commitment to global-standard regulation, faster approvals and predictable timelines for innovators in drugs and medical devices. As Co-Chair of the Medical Devices Committee at PHDCCI & Managing Director of Innvolution Healthcare, I see this Budget as a powerful platform to deepen domestic manufacturing, expand high-quality access in cancer and NCD care, and position India as a trusted global destination for advanced, yet affordable, healthcare.
Gaurav Aggarwal Co-Chair PHDCCI Medical Devices Committee
