India is facing a growing mental health crisis marked by a high burden of depression, anxiety, addiction, and suicides, with nearly 70–92% treatment gap and a severe shortage of professionals. The Union Budget 2026 has focused on institutional expansion, including a second campus of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, upgradation of regional institutes, and continued support for digital services like Tele MANAS. However, mental health spending remains below 2% of the health budget, and challenges such as stigma, limited community-level services, workforce shortages, and rising youth and digital-age stress persist. Addressing the crisis requires greater funding, community-based care, preventive strategies, and stronger primary healthcare integration to ensure accessible and affordable mental health services for all.
Click to View MoreIndia is strengthening its mental healthcare system with a renewed policy focus on access, equity, and early intervention. The expansion of national institutions like NIMHANS, the rollout of tele-mental health services such as Tele-MANAS, and integration of mental health into primary healthcare reflect a shift toward treating mental health as a core public health priority. These efforts aim to reduce the large treatment gap, address regional disparities, tackle stigma, and build a stronger mental health workforce, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations.
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