By Shalini Bhardwaj

New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): Strengthening health planning, boosting preventive care, improving affordability, tightening quality control and supporting 'Made in India' medical diagnostics are among the primary expectations from the upcoming Union Budget, according to experts from the insurance, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and hospital sectors.

Enhancing healthcare allocation and building a robust ecosystem focused on prevention rather than treatment have emerged as common themes among stakeholders.

According to Krishnan Ramachandran, MD & CEO, Niva Bupa Health Insurance, 'We welcome the government's recognition of health insurance as an essential service and the progressive decision to exempt it from GST, which has significantly improved affordability and reinforced the importance of health protection for Indian households.'

'From the upcoming Union Budget, a key expectation would be to extend Section 80D benefits to individuals opting for the new tax regime. Health protection should be encouraged irrespective of the tax structure chosen. With rising healthcare costs and increasing longevity, the current deduction limit of up to Rs 1 lakh may no longer be adequate. A comprehensive review and enhancement of this limit to at least Rs 1.5 lakh would meaningfully strengthen preventive care and long-term health planning,' he explained.

'Additionally, personal accident and travel insurance products currently fall outside the ambit of Section 80D. Including these within the deduction framework would promote holistic risk protection and drive wider adoption,' he said.

Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, 'The union budget for 2026 is to be presented shortly. As a doctor and administrator of a large, trust-run hospital, I have specific requirements given the evolving healthcare landscape. A focus on preventive care more than healing is the need.'

'Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are increasing alarmingly, causing a burden on patients, hospitals, and the government infrastructure. A multi-pronged policy to create awareness, stringent laws to control ultra-processed food, marketing and advertising, and promotion of healthy foods is required. Private healthcare providers to be considered as senior partners and given due respect and relaxations in land procurement, expansion, etc. A substantial hike in healthcare budget vis-a-vis GDP,' he added.

Highlighting the burden of non-communicable diseases, Dr GSK Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare; Chairman & Managing Director, Maxivision Eye Hospitals; and Chairman & Managing Director, Neuberg Diagnostics, said, 'As we approach the Union Budget 2026-27, India stands at a crossroad where execution must take centre stage to manage our nation's soaring Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) burden, which accounts for a mortality rate of ~65%. We urge the government to fulfil the long-standing industry recommendation of raising public health expenditure to over 2.5% of GDP to build a truly resilient and future-ready ecosystem.'

'Although the radical GST reform in 2025 that reduced taxes on diagnostic kits and medical devices to a mere 5% charge was a historic achievement for health equity, it is now imperative for the coming budget to correct the inverted duty structure, which has been pressurising domestic manufacturers,' he said.

'There is scope to review and harmonise certain GST rates, like Radiation Protection Apparels being charged at 18% - the same should be brought under 5% GST rate for consistency. I strongly recommend aligning the GST bracket to eliminate the inverted duty structure. Such alignment would reduce operational inefficiencies, streamline compliance, and ensure that the cost savings are passed on to consumers,' Dr Velu added.

Emphasising 'Made in India', he said, 'We must now ensure self-sufficiency and reduce our massive import dependency of 80% on imported devices by adopting 'Buy India' initiatives or boosts in research incentives like the PRIP scheme, to migrate from volume in manufacturing to depth in R&D.'

'The budget should provide targeted fiscal support for primary and secondary infrastructure in Tier 2 and 3 cities. In order to make affordable healthcare accessible across Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural India, the budget should incentivise the setting up of diagnostic hubs and comprehensive eye hospitals in these underserved regions through priority sector lending and enhanced Gap Viability Funding,' he said.

Arushi Jain, Director of Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, 'India has earned global recognition as a reliable, large-scale supplier of affordable medicines, yet our investment in research and development remains disproportionately low.'

'While the country spends roughly $3 billion on pharma R&D, the United States invests close to $50-60 billion, and China nearly $15-20 billion. This gap is not just numerical-it reflects a wider innovation deficit that limits India's ability to create breakthrough therapies, build future-ready technologies, and strengthen long-term healthcare resilience,' she said.

'The upcoming Budget presents a crucial opportunity to change this trajectory by placing pharma innovation at the centre of national priorities,' Jain added.

She further said, 'However, innovation in pharmaceuticals cannot exist in silos. Alongside R&D funding, there is an urgent need to support advanced manufacturing, workforce skilling, quality digitisation, and technology-driven compliance systems that strengthen trust across the healthcare value chain.'

Highlighting regulatory capacity, she said, 'Equally important is strengthening the institutional capacity of government departments responsible for drug approvals, licensing, and quality monitoring.'

'Adequate budgetary allocation toward regulatory infrastructure, skilled manpower, and review systems can significantly enhance the speed and predictability of approval timelines, particularly for innovative and complex therapies. Empowering regulators with advanced tools will not only enable timely evaluation of new products but also reinforce robust enforcement of quality standards,' she added.

'A well-resourced, technology-enabled regulatory ecosystem will foster greater industry confidence, encourage innovation-led investments, and ensure that patient safety and quality excellence remain central to India's pharmaceutical growth story,' Jain said. (ANI)