Key Points

According to a statement from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, the Union Minister emphasised that the MedTech sector is a key pillar of health transformation in India. He highlighted the sector's broad scope, encompassing diagnostics, advanced devices, digital health, and AI-driven solutions--all of which contribute to making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and affordable for every citizen. He stated that the sector has become a trusted provider of high-quality healthcare, supported by the government's focus on access, innovation, and infrastructure development.

The Minister noted the growing footprint of APACMed members in India through advanced manufacturing, research and development of complex technologies, and integration into global supply chains. He stated that the Forum's theme and agenda align closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a Viksit Bharat 2047.

According to the release, Nadda highlighted the four thematic pillars of this year's Forum unlocking India's potential for global leadership in MedTech, fostering innovation without limits from incremental improvements to breakthroughs, ensuring value-driven outcomes through MedTech for all, and scaling up investments to secure India's MedTech future.

He pointed out that these pillars capture the essence of a shared vision for a healthcare system that is innovative, inclusive, and globally competitive. Nadda expressed confidence that the deliberations over the next two days will shape strategies, open new opportunities, and strengthen the mission of making India a global hub for medical technology.

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Anupriya Patel, highlighted several major Government initiatives undertaken to strengthen India's MedTech and medical devices sector. These include a new scheme for supporting component manufacturing, development of common infrastructure, branding, and conducting critical market and clinical studies.

She also emphasised the Government's investor-friendly policies, including 100% FDI in medical devices, the establishment of an Export Promotion Council, and the formation of a National Medical Devices Promotion Council to improve ease of doing business and broaden export opportunities.

"India is emerging as not only a high-volume manufacturer but also a high-value player in the global MedTech market. The next leap will come from collaborations, and I invite all stakeholders to join India in co-creating solutions that will serve both our 1.4 billion citizens and the broader healthcare needs of emerging markets," said Patel.

Speaking at the event, Vinod K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, outlined the series of transformative measures undertaken by the Government in recent years to boost innovation, R&D, affordability, and domestic manufacturing in the medical devices sector.

He highlighted the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023, as a landmark step that sets out a comprehensive framework for holistic sectoral growth. This is complemented by the Policy on R&D and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech sector, the development of Medical Devices Parks modelled on the Andhra MedTech Zone, a Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, and the launch of the Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP)--popularly known as the BRICS scheme.

APACMed's purpose to advance standards of care by creating a unified voice, which allows us to engage with policymakers to harmonise regulatory standards to increase market access, was highlighted by John Collings, President, Asia Pacific, APACMed.

The two-day forum, being held from September 16 to September 17 in New Delhi, is organised by the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) under the theme: "Swastha Bharat: A Healthier India, Together". It has brought together senior policymakers, global industry leaders, regulators, and healthcare experts from more than 10 countries across the Asia Pacific region to align strategies for shaping India's MedTech roadmap in line with the Prime Minister's Healthcare Vision 2030 and Viksit Bharat 2047.

Established in 2014 and headquartered in Singapore, the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) represents over 350 leading medical device companies. It works closely with global regulatory bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF). In India, APACMed has over 40 member organisations actively engaged with the Government and trade associations to expand access to high-quality and innovative healthcare solutions.

- ANI