Union Budget 2026–27: Basic Customs Duty Removed on 17 Cancer Drugs and Rare Disease Medicines

Exam-focused facts from the 2 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the complete removal of basic customs duty on 17 cancer-related drugs and medicines in the Union Budget 2026–27.
Customs duty relief was extended to seven additional rare diseases, exempting personal imports of drugs, medicines, and foods for special medical needs.
The exemption aims to reduce the financial burden on patients relying on imported oncology medicines for complex and advanced treatments.
The measure is intended to lower out-of-pocket expenditure for patients, particularly those lacking comprehensive health insurance coverage.
The Union Budget 2026–27 also provided a 69% increase in funding for the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to strengthen internal security.