Summary Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman increased the customs duty on laboratory chemicals from 10% to 150% in the Union Budget 2024. This significant rise is causing disruption in research activities at university labs across India, with many cancelling work orders due to the prohibitive costs. The new duty impacts chemicals essential for basic experiments, and funding agencies have confirmed that research budgets cannot accommodate the increased expenses. Experts argue that this policy will hinder research progress and damage the scientific community. Key…