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Policy & Regulation · 3 stories · About 2 minutesPublished 7:00 am IST

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Policy & Regulation, at a glance.

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  1. 01Policy & RegulationThe Guardian reports: India caps prices on 137 cancer drugs following court rulingThe policy aims to mitigate the financial burden on patients who previously faced debt or the forced sale of land to afford care.
  2. 03Policy & RegulationCBIC to begin phased rollout of GST process and structural reforms November 1The initiative aims to reduce taxpayer compliance burdens while improving the efficiency of input tax credit flows and refund processes.
  3. 04Policy & RegulationRBI Issues Final Guidelines for Basel Committee Leverage Ratio 2017 StandardThe directions mandate that commercial banks adopt the Basel Committee’s Leverage Ratio 2017 framework.
Policy & RegulationLead story01 / 06

The Guardian reports: India caps prices on 137 cancer drugs following court ruling

What happened

Following a 2022 legal challenge by a patient unable to afford treatment, the Indian government will implement price caps on 137 cancer drugs starting next month. The move follows a supreme court ruling that classified current industry mark-ups as extortionate.

Why it matters

The policy aims to mitigate the financial burden on patients who previously faced debt or the forced sale of land to afford care. It directly curtails the significant profit margins historically captured by hospitals and pharmacies on these medications.

Bigger picture

This intervention highlights the growing role of judiciary-led mandates in forcing state action to curb healthcare costs and address economic disparities in drug access caused by systemic industry mark-ups.

Watch next

Monitor the implementation next month to see how the hospital and pharmaceutical sectors adjust their pricing models and inventory strategies in response to the caps.

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Policy & Regulation03 / 06

CBIC to begin phased rollout of GST process and structural reforms November 1

What happened

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs will begin a phased implementation of reforms resulting from the 57th GST Council meeting. Sanjay Mangal, Member (GST), confirmed that the rollout starts November 1, beginning with the public release of draft GST returns.

Why it matters

The initiative aims to reduce taxpayer compliance burdens while improving the efficiency of input tax credit flows and refund processes. Public access to draft returns provides businesses an early look at the administrative updates scheduled for implementation.

Bigger picture

The phased rollout aligns with ongoing efforts to modernize India’s indirect tax framework. By targeting operational bottlenecks, the reforms seek to standardize compliance procedures and improve the overall functionality of the tax administration system.

Watch next

Monitor the public release of draft GST returns on November 1 and subsequent government updates regarding the remaining rollout phases.

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Policy & Regulation04 / 06

RBI Issues Final Guidelines for Basel Committee Leverage Ratio 2017 Standard

File photograph: Reserve Bank of India.
File photograph: Reserve Bank of India. · Kolkatan / Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0

What happened

The Reserve Bank of India has published the final 'Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy (Eleventh Amendment) Directions, 2026.' This follows an August 2026 consultation period on draft regulations, with the final policy incorporating feedback from stakeholders.

Why it matters

The directions mandate that commercial banks adopt the Basel Committee’s Leverage Ratio 2017 framework. These regulatory requirements become formally binding for all commercial banks on April 1, 2027, superseding existing leverage standards.

Bigger picture

The mandate reflects the RBI's ongoing effort to harmonize Indian banking prudential norms with international capital adequacy standards set by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

Watch next

Commercial banks must review the feedback summary in the directive's annex and finalize compliance preparations before the April 1, 2027 effective date.

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