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Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI), the association of research-based medical technology companies with global experience in innovation and manufacturing in India, has sought the Centre to consider reducing customs duty for products which don't have an alternative available in the domestic market.
The request, which has been one of the demands of the Association in the past also, comes prior to the Union Budget 2025-26.
"The high customs duty regime significantly increases the cost of medical devices, which undermines the government’s efforts to make affordable healthcare accessible to the masses through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY)," said Pavan Choudary, chairman, MTaI.
"Hence, we urge the government to consider reducing customs duty rates for products where domestic alternatives are not yet readily available,” he said.
It may be noted that the domestic medical devices firms have recently sought the finance ministry to impose a higher customs duty on imports of medical devices to promote manufacturing of medical devices in the country.
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers has also in a recent report, has mentioned that there is a need to support the domestic manufacturers by giving them attractive custom duty concessions on the import of electronic components, metal compounds, plastics resins, reagents etc. used for manufacturing medical devices as a short term measure till the time the industry does not attain self-sufficiency in the manufacturing of raw material, subparts, parts, etc.
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