In a significant boost for India’s medical device industry, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, today launched the Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry. Joining him at the event were Smt Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, and Shri Arunish Chawla, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, along with department officials and industry representatives.
This comprehensive scheme addresses critical needs across the medical device sector, including manufacturing key components, skill development, clinical study support, infrastructure development, and industry promotion.
Highlighting its transformative potential, Shri JP Nadda described the scheme as a “game-changer” that will drive India toward self-reliance. He praised the government’s proactive measures, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, noting that initiatives like the PLI scheme have unlocked new opportunities. Congratulating the Department of Pharmaceuticals for its efforts, he encouraged industry support for the scheme’s success.
Minister Nadda also assured the industry of continued government support, urging stakeholders to leverage the scheme’s benefits. Smt Anupriya Patel echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that the scheme would strengthen the medical device sector, now a crucial component of healthcare. She highlighted the government’s commitment to promoting this sector through strategic policy and schematic support.
Medical devices play a vital role in healthcare delivery, spanning everything from diagnostic machines to prosthetics. Valued at around $14 billion, India’s medical device market is projected to grow to $30 billion by 2030.
Despite this, the industry faces significant challenges, including a lack of infrastructure. Through a sub-scheme for common facilities in medical device clusters, the government will fund infrastructure like R&D labs, design and testing centers, and animal labs. Grants of up to Rs. 20 crore will be provided for common facilities, and Rs. 5 crore for testing facilities.
A second sub-scheme focuses on investment support to strengthen the MedTech supply chain by encouraging local manufacturing of essential components, raw materials, and accessories. Currently, India depends heavily on imported components, making the sector vulnerable. This sub-scheme offers a one-time capital subsidy of 10-20%, with a cap of Rs. 10 crore per project, to reduce this dependency.
The third sub-scheme emphasizes capacity building and skill development within the medical device sector. It provides financial support for various Masters’ and short-term courses, with Rs. 21 crore allocated for Masters’ courses in central institutions, and Rs. 10,000 per candidate for short-term and Rs. 25,000 for Diploma courses in NCVET-approved institutions.
The fourth sub-scheme aims to support clinical studies by providing funding for both animal and human trials. Up to Rs. 2.5 crore will be granted for animal studies, with up to Rs. 5 crore for clinical investigations of investigational devices and follow-up studies of approved devices.
Additionally, Rs. 1 crore is available for clinical performance evaluations of in-vitro diagnostic products, helping manufacturers meet regulatory standards in international markets. The final sub-scheme supports industry associations and export councils in organizing conferences, events, and conducting surveys and studies to promote the medical device sector.
With government backing and increasing industry innovation, the future of India’s medical device industry looks promising, as Indian companies develop cost-effective solutions that are competitive on the global stage. The government remains committed to building an environment conducive to high-quality medical device production in India.
