What is Biopharma SHAKTI Initiative?

The Union Budget 2026–27 marks a decisive shift in India’s pharmaceutical policy by placing biopharma and biologic medicines at the core of the country’s healthcare and manufacturing strategy. The move aligns with the Government of India’s long-term vision of transforming India into a leading global biopharma hub and capturing 5 per cent of the global biopharmaceutical market.

Biopharma SHAKTI Initiative

A key announcement in the Budget is the launch of Biopharma SHAKTI, with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over five years. The initiative aims to:

• Strengthen India’s ecosystem for production of biologics and biosimilars
• Support domestic development and manufacturing of high-value biopharmaceutical products
• Reduce import dependence on critical biologic medicines
• Enhance India’s competitiveness in global biologics supply chains

Strengthening Institutional Capacity

To build skilled manpower and research capacity, the Budget proposes:

• Establishment of three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs)
• Upgradation of seven existing NIPERs, with a sharper focus on biopharma and biologics

What is Biopharma?

Biopharma, or biopharmaceuticals, refers to medicines developed and manufactured using living biological systems rather than purely chemical synthesis. These include:

• Human or animal cells
• Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi

Using biotechnology-based methods, these living systems are guided to produce medicines that can prevent, diagnose or treat diseases. Biopharma products are typically more complex and targeted, enabling precise interaction with biological pathways.
Examples include vaccines, therapeutic proteins, biosimilars and advanced biologic therapies.

Link with National Biopharma Mission

The Budget’s biopharma push builds on the National Biopharma Mission (NBM) – Innovate in India (i3), launched in May 2017, which aims to transform India into a $100 billion global biotech industry and secure a 5 per cent share of the global pharmaceutical market.