|
The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) has urged the government to impose safeguard duties on 12 key medical device categories, warning that uncontrolled imports are putting domestic manufacturers at risk.
With ongoing trade negotiations with the EU and US likely to lower import duties, AIMED cautions that Indian manufacturers could face severe injury and capacity underutilization if immediate actions are not taken.
Imports of critical medical devices have seen an unprecedented surge, particularly from China, Germany, Singapore, the USA, and the Netherlands.
China alone accounts for 33.47% of the total increase, making it the largest contributor to the pressure on India's domestic industry.
The steepest rise has been in syringes and needles, where imports skyrocketed 80% from $61 million to $111 million, led by China (69%), USA (91%), and Singapore (64%), said the Association.
Other surgical tools witnessed a 49% increase, with Switzerland recording a staggering 722% spike, followed by China (21%), USA (14%), Germany (5%), and Singapore (11%). CT apparatus imports jumped 39%, with Germany (152%) leading the surge, followed by the USA (25%), China (11%), and Japan (12%).
Among the sharpest spikes, diagnostic reagent kit imports surged 23%, with an unprecedented 424% jump from the Netherlands, followed by China (24%), USA (23%), and Singapore (38%). Similarly, hollow needles for injection saw a 62% increase, oxygen therapy devices spiked 36%, and orthopedic devices jumped 47%, with Germany (295%) and the USA (87%) driving the surge, it added.
AIMED argued that safeguard duties are a globally accepted trade protection measure and highlights past precedents. It also put forward examples including India’s safeguard duty on solar panels in 2018 on Chinese and Malaysian imports to protect local manufacturers, US safeguard tariffs on steel and aluminum in 2018 to secure domestic industries under national security concerns.
"If global economies like the US and India have used safeguard duties to protect strategic sectors, why should India's medical device industry be left exposed?" asked Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator of AIMED.
"The government must act now to prevent long-term damage to our manufacturing ecosystem," he added.
Based on these data, AIMED has called on the Department of Commerce (DoC) to take suo moto action and impose safeguard duties on the 12 affected product categories. The association warned that delayed intervention could lead to financial distress, job losses, and increased dependence on foreign suppliers.
With India's medical device sector playing a crucial role in the Make in India initiative, AIMED stresses that unchecked imports could cripple domestic production. It urges immediate action to protect local manufacturers, secure employment, and maintain healthcare self-reliance.
As India negotiates lower trade barriers with the EU and US, the risk of market domination by cheaper foreign imports looms large.
"AIMED’s demand for safeguard duties is a clarion call to policymakers—protect India’s manufacturing base now or risk long-term dependency on global suppliers for essential healthcare equipment," said the Association.
|