In a major relief to rare disease patients, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared that 36 life-saving medicines will no longer attract customs duty. The announcement was made on Saturday in Lok Sabha while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 .
The initiative aims to bring down the cost of crucial medical treatments for cancer patients who rely on long-term medication.
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Alongside the exemption, the government has introduced a concessional duty of 5 per cent on these medicines and a full customs duty waiver for their manufacturing.
The measure is expected to make essential drugs more accessible to a large number of patients across the country.
This follows the government’s decision in February 2024 to cut Goods and Services Tax (GST) on three key cancer drugs—Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab.
Since then, healthcare professionals have been advocating for similar duty reductions on targeted therapy drugs and high-end cancer treatment equipment, like radiotherapy machines and robotics, which currently carry a customs duty of around 37 per cent.
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Sitharaman explained latest exemption is in line with the government’s ongoing efforts to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, especially as cancer cases continue to rise across India. The demand for lowering cancer treatment costs has been a longstanding issue in the medical community.
Lowering treatment costs is likely to reduce the financial burden on families and contribute to better health outcomes. Additionally, the finance minister also announced plans to establish cancer care centres in every district across the country.
By waiving customs duties on critical medicines and investing in healthcare infrastructure, the government aims to strengthen the medical sector and enhance patient access to essential treatments.