TG bets big on life sciences with $25bn growth plan

Hyderabad: The Government of Telangana has unveiled its ambitious Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy 2026–30 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, aiming to position the State among the world’s top five life sciences clusters by 2030. The policy targets $25 billion in investments and the creation of nearly five lakh high-quality jobs, marking a shift towards innovation-led, value-driven growth in healthcare and biotechnology.

Announced by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the policy underscores Telangana’s intent to evolve from being a global manufacturing hub to becoming a global originator of advanced therapies, platforms and sustainable bio-manufacturing solutions. The unveiling took place in the presence of IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, Special Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Telangana Life Sciences CEO Shakthi M. Nagappan.

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Minister said the global unveiling at Davos reflected Telangana’s confidence in cross-border collaboration, global capital and shared innovation agendas to drive the next phase of growth in life sciences. He reiterated the State’s commitment to building a trusted biosciences ecosystem capable of delivering global health impact.

Minister D. Sridhar Babu said Telangana had attracted investments worth Rs73,000 crore over the past two years and is now targeting Rs2 lakh crore over the next five years. The new policy prioritises frontier science and advanced manufacturing platforms, including cell and gene therapies, peptides, precision fermentation and next-generation modalities. It also aims to strengthen allied sectors such as diagnostics, digital health, clinical research and pharma services.

A key feature of the policy is its strong emphasis on high-value R&D and innovation, backed by growing global confidence in Hyderabad as a science and technology hub. Several global pharmaceutical and biotechnology majors, including Amgen, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb and Lilly, have established or expanded R&D and global capability centres in the city. Special Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar highlighted a major reform under the policy—the recognition of R&D units as full-fledged industrial enterprises, enabling them to access incentives on par with manufacturing units. This, he said, reinforces Telangana’s focus on innovation, skilled talent and the adoption of breakthrough technologies such as AI, digital health and next-generation therapeutics.