Updated 22:39 IST, February 1st 2025
FM Proposes to Fully Exempt 36 Life-saving Medicines From Custom Duty
Nirmala Sitharaman announced a proposal to fully exempt customs duty on 36 life-saving drugs used in the treatment of cancer, rare diseases.

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a proposal to fully exempt customs duty on 36 life-saving drugs used in the treatment of cancer, rare diseases, and other severe chronic conditions.
This move follows an earlier reduction in customs duties on drugs like Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab, which had their duties cut from 10% to zero.
“To provide relief to patients, especially those suffering from cancer, rare diseases, and other chronic conditions, I propose to add 36 critical drugs to the list of medicines that will be fully exempt from Basic Customs Duty (BCD),” Sitharaman stated during her presentation of the Union Budget 2025.
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.
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Published 12:08 IST, February 1st 2025