Union Budget
Union Budget 2025: Cancer, other patients get relief after 36 life-saving drugs, medicines fully exempted from customs duty
The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to add 36 life-saving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty, a move which will provide relief to patients, particularly to those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases.
The Budget also proposes to add 6 life-saving medicines to the list attracting concessional customs duty of 5%.
"Specified drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes run by pharmaceutical companies are fully exempt from Basic Customs Duty, provided the medicines are supplied free of cost to patients," read a statement issued by the Indian government.
The Budget proposes to add 37 more medicines along with 13 new patient assistance programmes to the list.
Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eight straight Union Budget on Saturday.
This was her first full budget since PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power last year after registering a victory in the general polls.
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