India, April 30 -- image credit- shutterstock

India, now the world's most populous country, hosts one of the largest and fastest-growing economies globally. With 28 states and 8 Union Territories, each sub-national government presents its own budget following the Union Budget announced on February 1 every year. These state budgets play a critical role in shaping sectoral priorities, particularly healthcare.

Health is primarily a state subject, placing the responsibility of healthcare financing, infrastructure development, and service delivery largely on state governments. As a result, individual states allocate substantial portions of their annual budgets toward healthcare, reflecting their unique demographic needs, disease burdens, and...