New Delhi, Jan. 22 -- Ahead of the Union Budget 2026, medical professionals and healthcare stakeholders have flagged enduring structural gaps in India's health system, warning that rising chronic diseases, air pollution and workforce shortages are increasingly straining healthcare delivery.

Experts agree that India's public health expenditure remains below 2 percent of GDP, far short of the 2.5 percent target set for 2025 under the National Health Policy, reported the Business Standard.

Call for Stronger Public Procurement and Domestic Manufacturing Prashant Krishnan, CEO of TI Medical, said boosting public procurement of locally made medical devices could provide immediate benefits.

He noted that sub-2 percent GDP health spending limi...