Reliance Industries is planning to offer genetic health tests at around ₹1,000, sharply undercutting current prices. Through Strand Life Sciences, the move could make DNA-based testing mainstream, reshape India’s diagnostics market, and push genomics into routine preventive healthcare for millions.
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited appears to be readying another market-altering move, this time in healthcare, with plans to dramatically slash the cost of genetic health testing in India. The company is reportedly preparing to offer DNA-based health tests at around ₹1,000, a fraction of the ₹10,000 or more that such tests typically cost today. If rolled out at scale, the move could fundamentally alter how Indians understand, access, and engage with preventive healthcare, echoing the disruption Reliance Jio unleashed on the country’s telecom sector less than a decade ago.
At the heart of this effort is Strand Life Sciences, a Reliance subsidiary with deep expertise in genomics, diagnostics, and bioinformatics. Strand has been operating in the genetic testing space for years, working with hospitals, clinicians, and research institutions. What has kept genomics largely out of reach for the average Indian, however, is cost. DNA-based tests that assess disease risk, inherited conditions, or likely responses to medication have mostly remained the preserve of affluent urban consumers or patients with specific clinical needs. Reliance’s plan aims to change that equation entirely.
Genetic health tests offer insights that traditional diagnostics often cannot. By analysing a person’s DNA, these tests can identify predispositions to conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and rare inherited disorders. They can also help doctors understand how an individual might respond to particular drugs, paving the way for more personalised and effective treatment. In theory, genomics enables a shift from reactive medicine to preventive and precision healthcare. In practice, high prices, limited awareness, and uneven access have kept these benefits from reaching the masses in India.
Reliance’s proposed pricing of around ₹1,000 signals an ambition to take genomics out of niche laboratories and into routine health check-ups. Industry observers see this as a classic Reliance playbook at work: use scale, supply chain control, and aggressive pricing to expand the market rather than merely compete within it. When Jio entered the telecom space in 2016, it did not simply offer cheaper data; it changed consumer behaviour, making high-speed internet an everyday utility for hundreds of millions of Indians. A similar transformation in healthcare could have far-reaching implications.
The Indian diagnostics market is already large and growing, driven by rising health awareness, lifestyle-related diseases, and increased insurance coverage. Yet advanced diagnostics, particularly genetic testing, remain a small segment. By lowering prices so sharply, Reliance could catalyse a surge in demand, encouraging people to test not just when they are ill, but to understand their health risks early. Preventive genomics could become a part of annual health routines, much like blood tests and imaging scans are today.
Such a shift could also place pressure on existing diagnostic players, many of whom have built their genomics offerings around higher margins and smaller volumes. A mass-market approach would require rethinking cost structures, laboratory automation, data analytics, and logistics. Reliance, with its experience in operating at scale across energy, retail, telecom, and digital services, is uniquely positioned to attempt this. Its extensive retail footprint and digital platforms could help integrate genetic testing into a broader healthcare ecosystem, from sample collection to reporting and follow-up consultations.
There are broader public health implications as well. India faces a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, many of which have genetic components interacting with lifestyle factors. Affordable genetic insights could help individuals make informed choices about diet, exercise, and screening, potentially reducing long-term healthcare costs. For clinicians, access to genomic data could improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes, particularly in complex or chronic cases.
However, the move is not without challenges. Genetic testing raises important questions around data privacy, consent, and ethical use of information. DNA data is deeply personal, and ensuring that it is stored, processed, and used responsibly will be critical. Reliance will need to demonstrate robust safeguards and transparent policies to build trust among consumers and regulators alike. There is also the risk of misinterpretation of results, especially if tests are marketed directly to consumers without adequate counselling. Genetic risk does not equate to destiny, and communicating nuances will be essential to prevent unnecessary anxiety or false reassurance.
Regulatory oversight will play a key role in shaping how this market evolves. India’s frameworks for genetic testing and data protection are still developing, and a mass rollout by a corporate giant could accelerate the need for clearer guidelines. Collaboration with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and public health bodies may be necessary to ensure that affordability does not come at the cost of quality or ethical standards.
Despite these complexities, the potential upside is significant. By bringing the cost of genetic testing down to levels comparable with routine diagnostics, Reliance could democratise access to advanced health insights. This could spur innovation across the healthcare sector, from startups building AI-driven interpretation tools to hospitals designing genomics-informed care pathways. It could also generate vast datasets that, if anonymised and ethically used, might advance medical research in an Indian context, addressing gaps that currently exist due to underrepresentation in global genomic studies.
For Reliance, the move aligns with its broader strategy of building consumer-facing platforms that combine physical infrastructure with digital intelligence. Healthcare, like telecom before it, is a sector where scale can unlock both social impact and long-term value. While margins in mass-market genetic testing may be thin initially, the data, ecosystem integration, and downstream services could offer strategic advantages over time.
As with Jio, the true measure of disruption will not lie merely in lower prices, but in changed behaviour. If genetic testing becomes something millions of Indians consider routine rather than exceptional, the ripple effects could redefine preventive healthcare in the country. Whether Reliance can execute this vision at scale, while navigating ethical, regulatory, and operational challenges, remains to be seen. But the intent is clear: genomics, once the domain of elite labs and expensive clinics, may soon be within reach of the masses, signalling a new chapter in India’s healthcare story.
Discover more from Creative Brands
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
