Budget 2025: 36 imported life-saving drugs for cancer, rare diseases to get cheaper

The minister also proposed to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing to promote the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries both for mobiles and EVs Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the removal of import duties on 12 critical minerals, lithium-ion batteries scrap, cobalt products, LED, zinc and 36 drugs for cancer and rare diseases. The minister also proposed to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing to promote the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries both for mobiles and EVs. This will help secure availability for manufacturing in India and promote more jobs our youth.” Considering ship building has a long gestation period, she proposed to continue exemption of Basic Customs Duty on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships for another ten years. She said,“To provide relief to patients, paticularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases, I propose to add 36 life-saving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from basic customs duty.” She also proposed to add six life-saving medicines to list attracting concessional customs duty of five per cent.