NITI Aayog Explores Policy Measures to Boost Medical and Dental Device Manufacturing

Chaired by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri, the meeting focused on identifying barriers to domestic manufacturing and examining regulatory, infrastructure, and financial measures to support the industry.

NITI Aayog is exploring policy interventions to strengthen domestic manufacturing of medical and dental devices, with a focus on simplifying regulatory approvals, addressing infrastructure gaps, and reducing cost disadvantages faced by Indian manufacturers.

The public policy think tank consulted on Wednesday, bringing together domestic medical device and dental manufacturers, government officials, industry representatives, and experts from IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai. Officials from the departments of pharmaceuticals, health, science and technology, and the Indian Council of Medical Research also participated in the meeting.

Chaired by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri, the meeting focused on identifying barriers to domestic manufacturing and examining regulatory, infrastructure, and financial measures to support the industry.

The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD), which participated in the consultation, called for a dedicated law governing medical devices, simpler regulatory approvals, and financial assistance to help Indian manufacturers compete with imported products.

Indian Manufacturers Face 10–15% Cost Disadvantage

According to AiMeD, domestic manufacturers face a 10–15% cost disadvantage due to high capital and energy costs, logistics expenses, limited access to risk capital, and inadequate testing and research infrastructure.

The industry body also highlighted delays in establishing manufacturing facilities because of multiple approvals, overlapping regulatory authorities, and changing compliance requirements.

Setting up a manufacturing facility, which previously took approximately 18 months, can now take nearly four years, according to AiMeD. The extended timelines can increase operational costs and complicate investment planning for manufacturers seeking to expand domestic production.

The industry body urged policymakers to simplify regulatory processes and improve access to financial support to make locally manufactured devices more competitive.

Government-Industry Consultation Targets Policy Recommendations

The consultation also included e-commerce platforms involved in the trade of dental devices, alongside manufacturers and other stakeholders. Discussions focused on identifying opportunities for government-industry collaboration and developing recommendations aligned with India's healthcare priorities.

The proposed policy measures are intended to address challenges affecting both medical and dental device manufacturing, including regulatory complexity, infrastructure limitations, and cost pressures.

The discussions come amid efforts to strengthen India's domestic medical device manufacturing capabilities and improve the competitiveness of local producers. The outcome of the consultation and any subsequent policy decisions were not specified in the available information.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News