India: 36 Life-Saving Drugs Exempted from Customs Duty

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to fully exempt customs duty on 36 drugs used in the treatment of cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases.

The government had earlier cut customs duties on Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab from 10 per cent to nil.

"To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases, I propose to add 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD)," Sitharaman said while presenting 8th consecutive Budget.

She also proposed to add six life-saving medicines to the list attracting concessional customs duty of 5 per cent.

"Full exemption and concessional duty will also respectively apply on the bulk drugs for the manufacture of the above," Sitharaman stated.

She noted that specified drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes run by pharmaceutical companies are fully exempt from BCD, provided the medicines are supplied free of cost to patients.

"I propose to add 37 more medicines along with 13 new patient assistance programmes," Sitharaman said.