Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is preparing to disrupt India’s healthcare diagnostics sector with a bold move that could redefine access to advanced medical testing. Reliance plans to offer genomic tests at prices below ₹1,000, a massive reduction from the current market rates of around ₹8,000–₹10,000. If executed at scale, this initiative could become a turning point for preventive and personalised healthcare in India.
What Reliance Is Planning
Reliance aims to enter the advanced diagnostics and genomics space by leveraging its subsidiary Strand Life Sciences, which it acquired in 2021. Strand Life Sciences is a well-established name in genomics, bioinformatics, and clinical diagnostics, and forms the technological backbone of Reliance’s healthcare ambitions.
By combining Strand’s scientific expertise with Reliance’s scale, capital, and digital infrastructure, the group plans to make high-end genomic testing affordable and widely accessible.
Why Genomic Testing Matters
Genomic tests help analyse an individual’s DNA to identify disease risks, inherited conditions, and how a person may respond to specific treatments or medicines. These tests play a critical role in early detection, cancer screening, and personalised medicine. Until now, high costs have limited genomic testing to a small section of the population, mostly in urban centres.
Reducing the price to under ₹1,000 could bring genomic testing into mainstream healthcare, making it accessible to millions of Indians.
Role of Strand Life Sciences
Strand Life Sciences, acquired by Reliance in 2021, specialises in genomics-driven diagnostics and data analytics. The company already works with hospitals, laboratories, and research institutions. With Reliance’s backing, Strand is expected to scale operations rapidly, improve turnaround times, and reduce costs through automation and volume-based efficiencies.
This acquisition signals Reliance’s long-term commitment to healthcare technology rather than a short-term experiment.
A Potential Jio Moment for Healthcare
Industry observers are comparing this move to Reliance Jio’s 2016 launch, which transformed India’s telecom sector by offering high-quality services at extremely low prices. The same formula appears to be in play again: high technology, low cost, and mass access.
If genomic testing becomes affordable at scale, it could change how Indians approach healthcare, shifting focus from treatment to prevention and early diagnosis.
Impact on the Diagnostics Industry
Reliance’s entry could put significant pricing pressure on existing diagnostic companies. Smaller labs and startups may be forced to rethink pricing models, improve efficiency, or collaborate with larger platforms. At the same time, competition could drive innovation and improve overall service quality in the diagnostics ecosystem.
Challenges to Watch
While the plan is ambitious, execution will be crucial. Maintaining accuracy and reliability at low costs, ensuring data privacy for sensitive genetic information, meeting regulatory standards, and building trust among doctors and patients will be key challenges. Success will depend on how effectively Reliance balances affordability with clinical quality.
Why This Move Fits Reliance’s Strategy
Reliance has a history of entering high-cost sectors and making them affordable for the masses. From telecom to retail and digital services, the group has consistently focused on scale-driven disruption. Affordable genomic diagnostics align perfectly with this strategy and strengthen Reliance’s broader push into healthcare services.
Conclusion
Mukesh Ambani’s plan to offer genomic tests under ₹1,000 has the potential to transform healthcare diagnostics in India. Backed by Strand Life Sciences and Reliance’s proven ability to scale complex businesses, this initiative could mark a new era of accessible, preventive healthcare. If successful, it may well be remembered as the Jio moment of Indian healthcare diagnostics.
