Budget 2026: Govt Announces Duty Relief On 17 Cancer Drugs, Import Exemptions For Rare Diseases

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 16:35 IST

Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget, said the duty exemption would directly help reduce the prices of critical drugs used across multiple cancer treatments.

Budget 2026: 17 cancer medicines to become cheaper as Sitharaman announces basic customs duty exemption.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Union Budget 2026, delivered significant relief to cancer patients and their families by lowering the cost of critical cancer treatments and announced the removal of basic customs duty on 17 cancer-related drugs and medicines.

Notably, the move was aimed at making the treatment more affordable and improving access to essential treatment, particularly for patients dependent on imported medicines for complex and advanced cancers.

Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget, said the duty exemption would directly help reduce the prices of critical drugs used across multiple cancer treatments.

Notably, the imported oncology medicines often attract basic customs duty, which significantly increases the retail price of medicines. The government expects cost savings to be passed on to patients, easing one of the largest financial burdens associated with cancer care.

Import Exemptions For Rare Diseases

Additionally, the Finance Minister also announced that seven more rare diseases will be brought under customs duty relief. The measure is expected to benefit patients, who rely on personalised or niche therapies that are not manufactured domestically and are often brought into the country on a named patient basis.

Personal imports of drugs, medicines and foods for special medical needs used in the treatment of these rare diseases will be exempt from import duties.

The reduction in the cost of the treatment will have a major impact on India’s healthcare sector, as India has witnesseda massive drawback due to the high cost of cancer treatment, with imported medicines forming a major component of therapy for several cancers.

According to health experts, even marginal reductions in drug prices can translate into substantial savings for families undergoing prolonged treatment cycles.

While the government has not publicly disclosed the full list of drugs covered under the exemption, it has clarified that the list includes widely used and high-cost cancer medicines.

Medicines for rare diseases, which often lack Indian manufacturing alternatives due to limited patient populations and high production costs, are also expected to benefit from reduced landed prices under the new duty-free regime.

News india Budget 2026: Govt Announces Duty Relief On 17 Cancer Drugs, Import Exemptions For Rare Diseases

Read More