In a step towards self-reliance, India has now started manufacturing medical devices like MRI, CT scans and dialysis machines which used to be entirely imported earlier. According to a report in the Economic Times, the information has been confirmed by Amit Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.
Aggarwal said that the manufacturing is taking place under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme of the central government which is a part of the Make in India initiative. “We have commissioned a total of 19 projects for producing 46 medical devices,” Aggarwal said. He further stated that the government has increased the expenditure on manufacturing incentives, infrastructure and ecosystem development by 44 per cent.
The Secretary further added that the government is also aiming to boost domestic manufacturing of important drugs under the PLI. For this, the government has commissioned the production of more than 175 high-value drugs including drugs for treating cancer, rare diseases, auto-immune disorders and vaccines. “Production of critical antibiotics like Penicillin-G and Clavulanic Acid has started in the country. Also, we are expecting the production of Rifampicin, a key drug used for Tuberculosis treatment, to commence next year,” said Aggarwal.
In 2020, the market size of the medical devices sector in India was reportedly estimated at Rs 90,000 crore amounting to 1.5% of the global medical device market. To boost the domestic production of medical devices and reduce their import, the Union Cabinet adopted the National Medical Devices Policy in 2023. The policy intended to establish centres of excellence in academic and research institutions, innovation hubs, ‘plug and policy’ infrastructures and support to infrastructures. The creation of a dedicated export promotion council is also envisioned under the policy which is intended to initiate learning and projects for learning from the best global practices of manufacturing.
What is the PLI scheme?
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme is an initiative of the central government aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing of specified products by offering financial incentives. The scheme intends to establish India as a global hub for manufacturing, innovation and exports. The PLI Scheme covers 14 sectors including electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automobiles, steel, food, drones, and textiles. The management and implementation of the scheme are overseen by nodal agencies for each sector. The scheme is also supposed to reduce pollution and carbon footprint.
