The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is set to increase the foreign direct investment (FDI) threshold in insurance to 49 percent with two riders. All companies will have to provide health insurance, and voting rights of foreigners will be limited to 26 percent, the current investment cap, reports said.
The government is also working on a three-pronged strategy to make health care affordable. Firstly, all companies has to mandatorily provide stand-alone health insurance, secondly, it will encourage people to go for health insurance by offering tax incentives in the Budget.
The exemption limit for self, spouse and dependent children might be raised from Rs.15,000 a year. The limits for additional deduction of Rs.15,000 (if parents are dependent) and Rs20,000 (if the individual or one of the parents is a senior citizen), could also go up.
Thirdly, the finance ministry will work out a mechanism in consultation with the health ministry to ensure patients are not overcharged by private hospitals.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.