A concern has been recently raised by the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) based on an interministry policy issue for permitting import of pre-owned medical devices, which appears to be in direct conflict with Prime Minister (PM)'s Make in India agenda.

“The decision to permit the import of pre-owned medical devices is in contravention to India’s recently launched National Medical Device Policy-2023 that seeks to make our country not only Atma Nirbhar in medical devices but also the global leader. The Office Memorandum (dated 19th June) is a regressive step that has confused the investors who have been putting up manufacturing capacity in the last few years in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for self-reliance”, said Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, AiMeD.

Cautioning against the policy of allowing free imports of old, used and discarded medical equipment from other countries, Suresh Vazirani, Chairman, Transasia Bio-Medicals said, “The use of old, discarded medical equipment can not only be dangerous for the lives of our fellow Indians but it will destroy our PM Modi's dream of making India Atma Nirbhar in medical technology.”

Based on these concerns, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has responded that the imported refurbished equipment should be of very high quality providing precise diagnosis and treatment at affordable costs in India.

On the other hand, the government is all set to highlight the capabilities of the Indian Medical Devices Sector under the G-20 Indian Presidency, with the first ever expo being spearheaded by the Government in association with Indian medical devices industry, the three-day India MedTech Expo (IMTE)-2023 being held in Gandhi Nagar, alongside the G-20 Health Ministers meeting in August 2023, for showcasing the capabilities of Indian Medical Devices Industry and to create opportunities to network and explore collaborations both for the sector’s growth in India and its potential contribution globally.

Department of Pharmaceuticals is planning to organise a large-scale first-time National Level Expo on Medical Devices sector for three days (18-20 August 2023), at Helipad Exhibition Centre, Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat, with FICCI playing the role of industry partner for this event.

With such conflicts in sight, is PM’s ‘Make in India’ dream being bulldozed or is the government in the process of making right policy decisions for the country's best interests?