Govt orders to prefer local medical devices, cut imports by Rs 4,000 crore

India is largely dependent on imports for medical devices, and ships in around Rs 42,000 crore worth of devices

India will prioritise procurement of locally manufactured medical devices for public procurement, thereby reducing dependence on imported products and boosting local manufacturing, the Centre said. The move may reduce imports by Rs 4,000 crore, the domestic industry said.
 
In a notification dated March 25, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has stated that for a list of 19 medical devices (primarily covering consumables, orthopaedic items, X-ray machines) only class-I local manufacturers shall be eligible to bid. In February, the department had issued another notification covering 135 medical devices. The total number of medical devices for which preference will be given