Customs exemptions for cancer and rare disease medicines and plans for a second national mental health institute signal a major boost to public healthcare, as reported by
IANS, a partner of TV BRICS.
India’s Union Budget for 2026 has unveiled a series of healthcare-focused measures aimed at lowering treatment costs and expanding access to specialised medical services, with particular attention to cancer care, rare diseases and mental health.
Presenting the budget in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that customs duties will be fully waived on 17 medicines used in cancer treatment, a move designed to ease the financial burden on patients and families. In addition, seven drugs for rare diseases will be granted duty-free status for personal imports, including specialised medicines and nutritional products required for advanced therapies.
The government said the expanded exemptions would help make critical treatments more affordable, especially for patients dependent on imported medicines for complex and long-term conditions.
Alongside these measures, the budget outlined a significant expansion of the country’s mental healthcare infrastructure. The government plans to establish a second National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in North India, addressing regional gaps in access to advanced psychiatric care, education and neuroscience research.
Currently, the national institute operates from southern India and plays a central role in training mental health professionals, conducting research and providing highly specialised treatment. The proposed new centre is intended to strengthen services in northern regions, where demand for dedicated mental health facilities has outpaced capacity.
Further steps include the upgrading of existing national mental health institutes in eastern and north-eastern India, as well as a plan to increase capacity in district hospitals by 50 per cent through the creation of emergency and trauma care centres. These initiatives aim to improve access to mental health and trauma services in rural and underserved areas.
The budget also introduced new programmes to support people with disabilities by expanding access to skills training, assistive technologies and employment opportunities, reinforcing the government’s broader focus on inclusive healthcare and social support.
Photo: AlexRaths /
iStock
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