**Executive Summary**
This document is the official answer to a parliamentary question regarding the status and details of the "Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma–MedTech (PRIP) Scheme," which was announced in the Budget 2023-2024. The Department of Pharmaceuticals introduced the scheme to support research and development in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries. The amended scheme and guidelines were notified on October 1st, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PRIP Scheme Introduction:**
* The Department of Pharmaceuticals introduced the PRIP Scheme to support R&D in the Pharma-MedTech sector.
* The objective is to transform the Indian Pharma-MedTech sector from cost-based to innovation-based growth.
* Amendments aim to facilitate smooth implementation and improve governance and benefit-sharing.
* **PRIP Scheme Components:**
* Component A: Strengthening research infrastructure by setting up centers of excellence at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs).
* Seven centers of excellence have been established at NIPERs in Mohali, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, Raebareli, Hajipur, and Hyderabad.
* Component B: Promoting R&D and innovation in the Pharma-MedTech sector.
* Provides financial assistance for R&D of products, technologies, and validation of R&D outputs for market launch.
* Focuses on three priority areas: new medicines, complex generics and biosimilars, and novel medical devices.
* Early Stage and Later Stage Projects are eligible for financial assistance.
* The Department of Pharmaceuticals has invited applications for research and innovation projects.
* **MedTech Mitra Platform:**
* Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) started the MedTech Mitra platform in December 2023, in partnership with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
* The platform provides guidance to innovators from start-ups, industry, and academia for MedTech product development.
* Core partners include the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of MSME, Bureau of Indian Standards, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), Government e-Marketplace, ICMR's National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR), and Indian Clinical Trial and Education Network (INTENT).
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology Industries and Startups**
* **Impact:** Increased access to financial support for research and development, guidance through the MedTech Mitra platform, and opportunities to contribute to innovation-based growth in the sector.
* **Action Required:** Review the amended scheme guidelines, consider applying for financial assistance under Component B, and utilize the resources and guidance available through the MedTech Mitra platform.
**Stakeholder: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced research infrastructure through the establishment of centers of excellence, potential for increased research activity and collaboration.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the centers of excellence to strengthen research capabilities and attract innovative projects.
**Stakeholder: Innovators (Start-ups, Industry, Academia)**
* **Impact:** A platform to improve guidance to innovators from start-ups, industry and academia for the development of MedTech products.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the MedTech Mitra platform for guidance on developing MedTech products.
Key Entities Referenced
Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma–MedTech (PRIP) Scheme: Scheme to support research and development in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries.
Department of Pharmaceuticals: The department that introduced the PRIP Scheme.
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs): Seven centers of excellence were established at NIPERs under Component A of the PRIP scheme.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The ministry to which the Department of Pharmaceuticals belongs.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR): Started the MedTech Mitra platform in partnership with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHRESEARCH
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2288
TOBE ANSWERED ON12TH DECEMBER, 2025
PROMOTION OFRESEARCH AND INNOVATION
†2288.SHRIDINESH CHANDRAYADAV:
SHRIGIRIDHARI YADAV:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the current status of the proposal to launch a new programme to promote research and
innovationannouncedinthe Budget for the year2023-24; and
(b) if so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATEIN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAOJADHAV)
(a)and(b): The Department of Pharmaceuticals has informed that it has introduced the
Promotionof Research andInnovation inPharma–MedTech (PRIP)Schemetosupport research and
development in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries in accordance with the
Budget 2023–2024 announcement. The amended scheme and guidelines were notified on 1st
October, 2025. The objective of the PRIP Scheme is to transform the Indian Pharma–MedTech
sector from cost based to innovation-based growth by strengthening research infrastructure in the
country. The rationale behind the recent amendments was to facilitate smooth implementation,
bring greaterclarity ingovernance andmake benefit-sharing mechanismsmore effective.
The PRIP Scheme has two components, namely, Component A: Strengthening the research
infrastructure through setting up of centers of excellence at National Institute of Pharmaceutical
Education and Research (NIPERs) and Component B: Promotion of Research and Innovation in
Pharma MedTech sector. Under component A, a total of seven centers of excellence have been set
up, one at each of the seven NIPERs established at Mohali, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Kolkata,
Raebareli, Hajipur and Hyderabad. Component B is for providing financial assistance to support
research and development (R&D) for development of products and technologies or expeditious
validation of R&D outputs for market launch and large-scale commercialisation in three priority
areas, namely new medicines, complex generics and biosimilars, and novel medical devices. BothEarly Stage Projects and Later Stage Projects are eligible for disbursement of financial assistance.
Under this component, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has invited applications for research and
innovationprojectsfrom pharmaceutical andMedTech industry andstartups.
Further, in December 2023, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) started MedTech Mitra
platform in partnership with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), under the
guidance of NITI Aayog. The MedTech Mitra portal has been operationalized on ICMR website.
This platform provides guidance to innovators from start-ups, industry and academia for the
development of MedTech products. Multiple inter-departmental/inter-ministerial partners such as
Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Bureau
ofIndianStandards,NationalAccreditationBoard forTestingandCalibrationLaboratories(NABL),
Government e-Market place are the core partners of this initiative besides the ICMR’s National
Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR) and Indian Clinical Trial and
EducationNetwork (INTENT).
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