Biopharma SHAKTI Scheme 2026: ₹10,000 Crore Funding, Startup Eligibility, Benefits and Current Status

Biopharma SHAKTI is a ₹10,000 crore, five-year scheme to build India's biologics and biosimilars industry, announced in Budget 2026-27 on 1 February 2026. Applications are not open yet. The government has confirmed early-stage funding and structured equity support for startups and industry, along with three new pharmaceutical education institutes and a dedicated drug-review cadre at the national regulator. Founders who need money before guidelines arrive can use the Ignition Grant of up to ₹50 lakh from the biotechnology industry council, or the second call under the pharma research scheme, both covered below.

Updated 4 November 2026, after Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met biopharma and biotech startups on 2 November to discuss regulation, funding, patents and procurement. The next milestone to watch is publication of the operational guidelines.

Confirmed so far: ₹10,000 crore over five years, announced in Budget 2026-27. Five measures listed in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 10 March 2026. Early-stage innovation funding and structured equity support for startups and industry.

Still awaited: operational guidelines and the first call for proposals, which Chemical Industry Digest reported in July need Union Cabinet clearance first. Eligibility criteria. Support size per project and equity terms. How the ₹10,000 crore is split across measures.

What will Biopharma SHAKTI fund?

Biologics are medicines made from living cells, such as vaccines and modern insulin. Biosimilars are lower-cost versions of biologics whose patents have expired. The written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 10 March 2026 lists the five measures below, and only the institute and trial-site measures carry numbers.

Who Biopharma SHAKTI is likely to reach

The Rajya Sabha reply names the Indian pharma industry as the intended beneficiary, and startups and industry as recipients of early-stage funding and equity support. Graduates trained for biopharma research, manufacturing and regulation are expected from the expanded NIPERs. No listed measure is aimed at conventional chemical formulations.

Funding routes biopharma startups can use alongside Biopharma SHAKTI

Three government programmes already fund biotech and pharma research, and each row comes from the programme's own page or call notice. BIG and SEED suit young companies, while PRIP also reaches established firms. PRIP amounts are as reported by Indian Pharma Post from the Department of Pharmaceuticals' announcement.

Biopharma SHAKTI timeline so far

What to prepare now for Biopharma SHAKTI

1.       Company papers. Keep the incorporation certificate, startup recognition if held, and a shareholding statement. BIG needs a company under five years old at call launch with at least 51% resident Indian ownership.

2.       A milestone plan. The official wording says funding will carry candidates from concept through key development milestones. BIG pays in three to four instalments tied to milestones, so write your plan the same way.

3.       Lab or incubator access. BIG asks for a working in-house lab or a letter from an incubator.

4.       Technology readiness level. Note where your product stands, since PRIP sorts projects into an early track (levels 1-3) and a later track (levels 4-6).

5.       Regulatory route. The new review cadre is meant to reduce approval days, so map your product's approval steps and expected timeline.

Guidelines and calls will appear on the Department of Pharmaceuticals website and in the PIB feed for the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Frequently asked questions about Biopharma SHAKTI

When can I apply for the Biopharma SHAKTI scheme?

You cannot apply yet. Chemical Industry Digest reported in July that the Department of Pharmaceuticals' Secretary expects guidelines to follow Union Cabinet clearance, after which proposals would be invited from pharma companies and industry-academia teams. Watch the Department's website for the notice.

Who is eligible for the Biopharma SHAKTI scheme?

Eligibility has not been published. The official description names startups and industry as recipients of early-stage funding and equity support, and the focus is biologics and biosimilars. Criteria on company size, stage and ownership will come only with the guidelines.

How much funding does Biopharma SHAKTI offer?

Budget 2026-27 announced ₹10,000 crore over five years, and the Minister of State repeated the figure in Parliament on 10 March 2026. The Department has not published how that sum divides between institutes, clinical sites, regulatory staff and startup funding.

Will Biopharma SHAKTI give grants or equity to startups?

The Rajya Sabha reply describes early-stage innovation funding and structured equity support for startups and industry. Per-project amounts and equity terms have not been published. BIRAC's SEED Fund page shows how government equity in startups has worked so far.