Budget 2026 Pitches India as Global Biopharma Hub
₹10,000 crore Biopharma SHAKTI aims to move India up the pharma value chain
- Biopharma SHAKTI launched with ₹10,000 crore outlay over five years
- Target to capture 5% of global biopharmaceutical market
- Focus on biologics, biosimilars, clinical trials and regulation
- Builds on National Biopharma Mission and biotech startup ecosystem
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Feb: The Union Budget 2026–27 marks a strategic shift in India’s pharmaceutical policy by placing biopharma and biologic medicines at the core of its healthcare and manufacturing agenda, signalling the government’s intent to transform India into a global biopharma hub.
A key announcement in the Budget is the launch of Biopharma SHAKTI, a national initiative with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years. The programme aims to strengthen India’s end-to-end ecosystem for biologics and biosimilars, reduce import dependence and enhance the country’s competitiveness in global biopharmaceutical supply chains. The initiative aligns with the government’s goal of capturing 5 per cent of the global biopharmaceutical market.
The Budget recognises the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and the growing global reliance on biologics and biosimilars, positioning biopharma as a high-value, future-facing sector critical for both public health and economic growth.
Among the major measures announced is the expansion of biopharma-focused human resource capacity through the establishment of three new National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and the upgradation of seven existing ones. This is aimed at meeting the rising demand for specialised professionals in biopharma research, manufacturing and regulation.
The Budget also proposes the creation of a large-scale clinical research ecosystem, with over 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites across the country. This is expected to significantly improve India’s capacity to conduct advanced trials for biologics and biosimilars, accelerating innovation and positioning India as a preferred destination for ethical and high-quality clinical research.
Strengthening regulatory capacity is another focus area, with plans to enhance the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation through induction of specialised scientific and technical personnel. The move is aimed at aligning approval timelines with global standards and enabling faster evaluation of complex biopharmaceutical products.
The Budget builds on existing initiatives such as the National Biopharma Mission, launched in 2017 to promote development of vaccines, biotherapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices. Implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), the mission has supported over 100 projects, generated skilled jobs and helped translate research into affordable healthcare solutions, including indigenous biosimilars and vaccines.
India’s biopharma push is further reinforced by complementary schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, Bulk Drug Parks Scheme, Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech (PRIP), and policy frameworks like the BioE3 Policy and Bio-RIDE scheme, all aimed at strengthening manufacturing, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Together, these measures reflect a coordinated policy approach to move India from being a cost-efficient producer of generic medicines to a global hub for innovation-driven, high-value biopharmaceutical products. The Biopharma SHAKTI initiative, backed by sustained investment and institutional support, is expected to play a central role in shaping India’s emergence as a globally competitive biopharma manufacturing powerhouse.
