The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) has described the Union Budget 2026 as a pivotal moment in India’s journey to becoming a global biopharmaceutical manufacturing leader. OPPI said that the Budget’s focus on innovation-driven growth, strengthened research and development, world-class infrastructure and regulatory reform underscores a long-term strategy to build a competitive and resilient biopharma ecosystem.

Anil Matai, Director General of OPPI, highlighted the Biopharma Shakti initiative, which sets aside INR 10,000 crore over five years to support healthcare advancement through knowledge, technology and innovation. He said the programme signals a clear and sustained national commitment to developing an end-to-end biopharmaceutical ecosystem that spans research, advanced manufacturing, regulatory excellence and patient access.

Matai welcomed key Budget measures such as the exemption of basic customs duties on 17 cancer drugs and expanded import duty waivers for medicines used to treat seven additional rare diseases. These steps, he said, are important patient-first interventions that are expected to reduce the financial burden on families seeking advanced therapies, particularly amid the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases.

The Budget also dedicates significant investment to building scientific talent and research capacity, with plans to establish three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and upgrade seven existing institutions. OPPI member companies, which already collaborate with NIPERs, believe this boost will strengthen India’s research infrastructure and produce a skilled workforce aligned with modern pharmaceutical science.

In addition, the expansion of clinical research capacity through 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites was seen as a key step toward improving trial quality and diversity, and enhancing India’s competitiveness on the global stage. OPPI also welcomed proposals to modernize the drug regulatory framework, including faster approval timelines, specialist-led evaluations and a dedicated scientific review system, which are expected to create a more agile, science-led regulatory environment.

Overall, OPPI said the Budget’s comprehensive and forward-looking roadmap reinforces India’s evolution from being the “pharmacy of the world” to emerging as a global leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation.