Telangana Unveils Ambitious Life Sciences Policy Targeting Global Leadership
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has launched a transformative new life sciences policy with an ambitious vision to attract approximately $25 billion in investments and create over 5 lakh high-quality jobs by 2030. The policy, officially unveiled at the prestigious World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Wednesday, aims to propel Hyderabad into the elite ranks of the top five global life sciences clusters within the next six years.
Strategic Shift from Manufacturing to Innovation-Driven Growth
This next-generation policy represents a decisive strategic shift for Telangana's life sciences sector. Rather than focusing primarily on scale-driven manufacturing, the state is now pursuing value-led, innovation-powered growth that positions it as a globally integrated hub spanning discovery, development, and deployment phases of life sciences innovation. The policy signals Telangana's intent to play a more consequential role in shaping the future of global healthcare, advanced therapeutics, and sustainable bio-manufacturing.
Building on Hyderabad's Existing Global Standing
Hyderabad already enjoys a formidable position in the global life sciences landscape, currently ranking among the top seven life sciences clusters worldwide. The city hosts:
- Global capability centers of pharmaceutical giants including Novartis, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly
- Research and development facilities of Bristol Myers Squibb, Amgen, and Bayer
- World Economic Forum's Fourth Industrial Revolution C4IR Network
- The world's first WEF center exclusively focused on healthcare and life sciences
The new policy aims to leverage this strong foundation while implementing targeted initiatives to achieve top-five global status.
Policy Framework and Implementation Strategy
The Telangana Life Sciences Policy 2026-30 was unveiled by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy along with Industries & IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu, Industries & IT Special Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar, and Telangana Life Sciences CEO Shakthi M. Nagappan. The comprehensive framework is designed to accelerate Telangana's transition from being an indispensable part of global supply chains to becoming a global originator of advanced therapies and platforms.
Key implementation elements include:
- Leveraging globally benchmarked infrastructure such as the Green Pharma City and 10 pharma villages
- Expanding the renowned Genome Valley research cluster
- Strengthening the Medical Devices Park at Sultanpur
- Implementing TG-iPASS as a single-window system for time-bound approvals
- Permitting 24×7 operations in designated life sciences parks with appropriate safety protocols
Strategic Focus Areas and Sectoral Targets
The policy identifies several critical focus areas that will receive concentrated attention and resources:
- Frontier R&D and Advanced Manufacturing: Fostering cutting-edge research and high-value manufacturing capabilities
- Global Value Centers & Innovation Hubs: Attracting multinational corporations to establish strategic operations
- Clinical Research Expansion: Enhancing capabilities in clinical trials and research
- Pharma Services Ecosystem: Scaling contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) and contract research organizations (CROs) from $2 billion to approximately $10 billion
- Diagnostics & Medical Electronics: Developing capabilities in medical technology and devices
- Precision Medicine & Personalized Therapies: Advancing targeted treatment approaches
Talent Development and Workforce Initiatives
Recognizing that human capital is fundamental to innovation, the policy emphasizes cultivating a dynamic and future-ready workforce through multiple initiatives:
- Establishing the flagship Telangana School of Life Sciences
- Developing industry-aligned curricula across educational institutions
- Creating structured internship programs and lifelong learning pathways
- Implementing certification programs in critical domains including biologics, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and Health Outcomes and Economic Research (HOER)
Financial Support and Investment Framework
To boost the funding ecosystem for life sciences innovation, the government will establish a dedicated Life Sciences Innovation Fund with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore ($12 million), scalable to Rs 1,000 crore ($111 million). This fund will operate through a public-private partnership model with co-investment alongside venture capital and private equity funds to support:
- Early-stage startups in the life sciences domain
- Scale-up companies ready for expansion
- Translational research initiatives bridging laboratory discoveries to clinical applications
Regulatory Reforms and Business Environment Enhancement
The policy includes significant regulatory streamlining measures designed to improve Telangana's Ease of Doing Business quotient. Key reforms include:
- Establishing a dedicated consultation committee with representatives from CDSCO, Telangana DCA, and TGPCB
- Simplifying state-level clearances through coordinated regulatory approaches
- Active advocacy with central regulators to facilitate smoother approvals
- Recognizing R&D units as full-fledged industrial enterprises with equal access to incentives
Ancillary Ecosystem Development
Beyond core life sciences activities, the policy emphasizes developing a strong and integrated ancillary ecosystem comprising:
- Specialized suppliers and service providers
- Logistics partners with life sciences expertise
- Testing facilities meeting international standards
- Specialized vendors supporting the entire value chain
Leadership Vision and Implementation Confidence
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy emphasized the global significance of the policy during its unveiling: "We are building one of the world's most trusted and transformational biosciences ecosystems—driving global health impact from Telangana. The policy's global unveiling at Davos reflects Telangana's conviction that the next phase of growth in life sciences will be driven by cross-border collaboration, global capital, and shared innovation agendas."
Industries & IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu highlighted the sector's recent momentum, noting that Telangana's life sciences sector has attracted approximately Rs 73,000 crore in investments over the last two years alone. With the new policy, the state now aims significantly higher—targeting Rs 2 lakh crore in investments over the next five years.
Sanjay Kumar emphasized the policy's technological focus: "The policy is designed to build on our strong foundation and spirit of innovation. It's not just a framework but aims to accelerate the adoption of breakthrough technologies such as AI, digital health, and next-generation therapeutics while nurturing skilled talent."
Shakthi Nagappan summarized the comprehensive approach: "Focused on frontier R&D, sustainable manufacturing, talent development, and a robust startup-to-scale-up pipeline, the policy strengthens Telangana's integration into the global life sciences value chain."
The Telangana Life Sciences Policy 2026-30 represents a bold, comprehensive strategy to transform the state into a global life sciences powerhouse, creating substantial economic opportunities while contributing to advancements in global healthcare and therapeutics.
