Executive Summary:
The Indian government, through the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology (DBT), and Pharmaceuticals, has implemented measures to boost domestic manufacturing and accessibility of affordable and reliable medical imaging solutions. These initiatives align with the "Make in India, Made for the World" concept, with schemes incentivizing local production, developing medical device parks, and strengthening the medical device industry. The aim is to reduce import dependence, increase exports, and establish India as a global manufacturing hub for medical devices.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Affordable Medical Imaging Solutions:**
* The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) promotes research and development, enabling the conversion of laboratory prototypes into commercial models.
* Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) offers schemes and mission programs to support biotech startups and academic organizations in developing affordable medical devices.
* **Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing:**
* **PLI Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices:**
* Budgetary outlay of ₹3,420 crore with a five-year performance-linked incentive period (FY2022-23 to FY2026-27).
* Financial incentives for incremental sales of domestically manufactured medical devices in specific segments like radiotherapy, imaging, and critical care.
* 21 greenfield projects commissioned, with production started for 54 products, including high-end medical devices previously heavily imported.
* Cumulative eligible sales of ₹10,413.40 crore achieved until March 2025, including export sales worth ₹5,002 crore.
* **Scheme for Promotion of Medical Devices Parks:**
* Aims to create common infrastructure and testing facilities for cost reduction and competitiveness.
* Three parks approved in Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), and Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu), with a total project cost exceeding ₹871.11 crore.
* Central assistance of ₹100 crore each for common infrastructure facilities.
* **Scheme for Strengthening Medical Device Industry:**
* Launched on November 8, 2024, with a financial outlay of ₹500 crore.
* Supports manufacturing of key components, skill development, clinical studies, common infrastructure, and industry promotion.
* **Growth of Indian Medical Device Sector:**
* Medical device exports increased by 88% over the last six financial years, from US$2,138 million in FY2018-19 to US$4,014 million in FY2024-25.
* India now produces high-end medical devices, including linear accelerators, MRI machines, CT scans, mammography, ultrasound machines, and devices for heart conditions, breathing support and kidney dialysis.
* India exports medical devices to over 170 countries.
Impact Analysis:
* **Medical Device Manufacturers:**
* Impact: Benefit from financial incentives, infrastructure development, and support for manufacturing and skill development, leading to increased competitiveness and production capacity.
* Action Required: Leverage available schemes and infrastructure to expand production, enhance product quality, and increase exports.
* **Healthcare Providers:**
* Impact: Increased availability of affordable and reliable medical imaging devices, leading to better diagnostics and patient care.
* Action Required: Adopt and utilize domestically manufactured medical devices to support local industry and improve healthcare outcomes.
* **Patients:**
* Impact: Improved access to affordable and reliable medical imaging and treatment options, leading to better health outcomes.
* Action Required: Advocate for the use of domestically manufactured medical devices to reduce healthcare costs and improve accessibility.
* **Department of Biotechnology (DBT):**
* Impact: Responsible for promoting research and development in affordable medical imaging solutions and facilitating technology transfer.
* Action Required: Continue supporting academic institutions, startups, and related organizations in developing and commercializing medical devices.
* **Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC):**
* Impact: Responsible for offering schemes and mission programs to support the development of medical devices.
* Action Required: Provide financial assistance and guidance to biotech startups and academic organizations for developing affordable medical imaging solutions.
* **Department of Pharmaceuticals:**
* Impact: Implementing schemes to promote domestic manufacturing of medical devices and strengthen the medical device industry.
* Action Required: Ensure effective implementation of the PLI scheme, Medical Devices Parks scheme, and the scheme for strengthening the medical device industry. Monitor progress and make necessary adjustments to achieve desired outcomes.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy.
Make in India Made for the World: A Government of India initiative to encourage domestic manufacturing.
Department of Biotechnology (DBT): A department under the Ministry of Science and Technology, involved in promoting research and development in medical imaging solutions.
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC): A not-for-profit public sector enterprise that supports biotech startups and industries, including the development of medical devices.
PLI Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices: A scheme to promote domestic manufacturing of medical devices with a budgetary outlay of 3,420 crore.
Scheme for Promotion of Medical Devices Parks: A scheme to create common infrastructure and testing facilities for the medical device industry.
Greater Noida Uttar Pradesh: One of the locations where a Medical Devices Park has been approved.
Ujjain Madhya Pradesh: One of the locations where a Medical Devices Park has been approved.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1055
TO BE ANSWERED ON25THJULY, 2025
AFFORDABLE ANDRELIABLE MEDICALIMAGING SOLUTION
1055.DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government has set up any mechanism to provide access to affordable and
reliable medical imaging solutions considering its high cost and low availability in the
countryandif so, the detailsthereof;
(b) the steps taken/proposed tobe taken bythe Government andthe progress made in the said
sector inalignmentwith the conceptof 'Make inIndia-Made for the World';
(c) whether India has emerged as one of the top five healthcare manufacturers in the world
andif so, the detailsthereof;
(d) whether the Government is considering manufacturing of medical devices as one of the
sunrise sectors inthe countryandif so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to make India its manufacturing
hub?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a)to(e): As informed by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science &
Technology, the Government of India has taken several measures to develop affordable and
dependablemedical imagingsolutions inthe country.
In order to align with ‘Make in India- Made for the World’, the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT), promotes and accelerates research & development in this field and
provides an enabling platform for academics, Start-ups, and related organizations to convert
the laboratory level prototypes into packaged models and help in transfer of technology for
commercialization.
Further, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a not-for-
profit Section 8, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by the DBT offers various schemes andmission programs for biotech Start-ups, industries as well as partnering academic
organizations for supporting development of medical devices, including affordable medical
imagingsolutions.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals is implementing the following schemes to promote
domestic manufacturing of medicaldevices:
(i) PLI Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices: This
scheme aims to promote domestic manufacturing of reliable medical devices by
attracting large investments for creation of domestic manufacturing capacity,
incentivisingdomestic production.It hasa totalbudgetaryoutlayof₹3,420crore and
a five-year performance-linked incentive period from FY2022-23 to FY2026-27.
Under the scheme, selected companies are eligible for financial incentive for
incremental sales of domestically manufactured medical devices in the radiotherapy,
imaging device, anaesthesia, cardio-respiratory and critical care and implant device
segments, for a period of five years. So far, 21 greenfield projects have been
commissioned, and production has started for 54 products, which include high-end
medical devices on which the country has been highly import-dependent, such as
linear accelerators, machines for MRI and CT scans and mammograms, C-arm X-
ray machines and ultrasound machines. Till March 2025, cumulative eligible sales
₹10,413.40 crore have been made under the scheme, including export sales worth
₹5,002crore.
(ii) Scheme for Promotion of Medical Devices Parks: This scheme aims to create
common infrastructure and testing facilities for increased competitiveness and cost
reduction through optimisation of resources and economies of scale, thereby leading
to better availability and affordability of medical devices in the domestic market.
Under it, three parks have been approved and are at an advanced stage of
development in Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) and
Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) districts. The total project cost of these is over ₹871.11
crore, with Central assistance to the tune of ₹100 crore each for creation of common
infrastructure facilities, which is expectedto enhanceindustry’scompetitiveness and
reduceproductioncoststhrough optimisationof resourcesandeconomiesof scale.
(iii) Scheme for Strengthening Medical Device Industry: This scheme has been launched
on 08.11.2024 with a financial outlay of ₹500 crore. It aims to strengthen the
medical device industry by providing support in critical areas, including
manufacturing of key components and accessories, skill development, support for
clinicalstudies, developmentof common infrastructure, andindustry promotion.
Enabled by these schemes, the Indian medical device sector has emerged as a sunrise sector
which israpidlygrowing inglobalcompetitiveness. Highlights inthisregardare asfollows:
(i) Over the last six financial years, the export of medical devices has increased by 88%,
from US$2,138million inFY2018-19toUS$4,014millioninFY2024-25.(ii) Several high-end medical devices, such as Linear Accelerators (LINACs) and cobalt
machines for cancer therapy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), computed
tomography (CT) scan, mammography and ultrasound machines for imaging, valves,
occluders, drug-eluting stents, ballooncathetersanddefibrillators for heartconditions,
ventilators for high-flow oxygen devices for breathing support, dialysis machines for
kidney, andknee andhipimplantsare now beingproducedinIndia.
(iii) India isexportingmedical devicestoover170countries.
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