Union Budget 2026: Healthcare sector wants bigger slice of GDP
India's healthcare leaders are asking the government to boost public health spending to 3-5% of GDP in this year's Union Budget—a big jump from current public health spending, which remains below 2% of GDP and well below the National Health Policy target of 2.5%.
Rising costs and more complex health challenges are making this push urgent, especially since we're still below the National Health Policy's own target.
Why does it matter?
If these proposals go through, we could see better hospitals, more labs for accurate testing, and even tax breaks for preventive check-ups—making early treatment easier.
There's also a strong focus on rural healthcare and training more doctors and nurses, so quality care isn't just an urban thing.
Plus, changes like GST fixes and digital health tools could make treatments cheaper and smarter for everyone—benefiting all age groups, including younger people facing rising NCDs.