The allocation of Department of Health Research (DHR) is 0.012% of GDP. However, in recent years Government has increased the budget in health research along with new programmes/initiatives to make research grants more competitive and accessible. The budgetary allocation for DHR has increased over 5 times - from ₹ 932.00 crores in 2014-15 (RE) to ₹ 4,821.21 in 2026–27 (BE). There has been rise of approximately 24 percent in Budgetary allocation in 2026-27 over the Revised Estimates for 2025–26 (₹3,900.69 crore) indicating strong commitment of Union Government towards strengthening health research in the country.

Government has undertaken measures to broaden and strengthen the health-research funding ecosystem. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has rationalised and expanded its intramural and extramural grant architecture so that funding support is calibrated to the scale, maturity, risk and translational stage of a research proposal. ICMR has initiated new follow up grants to utilize the leads from the initial research grants. Details are regularly published at ICMR ePMS portal.

The current structure includes Small or ANVESHAN Grants of up to ₹2 crore, Intermediate or NISCHAYAK ANVESHAN Grants ranging from ₹2 crore to ₹8 crore, the First-in-the-World Challenge with stage-linked support of up to ₹8 crore, and Centres for Advanced Research with support of up to ₹15 crore. These instruments support investigator-initiated research, proof-of-concept studies, validation of interventions, high-risk and high-reward innovation, multidisciplinary research and advanced research programmes.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri. Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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HFW/PQ-Update on Expenditure on Health Research/24 July 2026/1

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