What happened at India Medical Device 2026 (9th edition)

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, began the two-day 9th edition of India Medical Device 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 2026-08-08. The conference brought together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, innovators, and other stakeholders. The conference is organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), under the theme “Towards Viksit Bharat: Advancing India as a Global Hub for Quality Medical Devices.”

Key messages from the inaugural session

Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals Shri Manoj Joshi said the medical devices sector needs to be viewed from both healthcare and industry perspectives. Healthcare providers need access to quality devices regardless of origin, while domestic manufacturing supports employment, strengthens industry capabilities, and improves supply chain resilience during global disruptions. He highlighted progress in local manufacturing, especially in consumables, disposables, and assembly of high-end equipment including diagnostics and imaging systems. He argued for deeper domestic value addition, stronger component manufacturing, promotion of innovation in advanced medical technologies, and continuous enhancement of quality standards for globally competitive manufacturing.

Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), stated that India’s medical devices sector is moving from an import-driven market to a domestic manufacturing-led ecosystem. He emphasised strengthening indigenous capabilities in high-end Class C and Class D medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, along with faster, transparent, and predictable regulatory approvals.

FICCI Medical Devices Committee Chair and Tushar Sharma (Managing Director & GM, Abbott Healthcare, India and South Asia) said industry growth is not only about technology introduction. He described investments in India through research and development (R&D) centres, Global Capability Centres, software and engineering hubs, clinical research, manufacturing, service networks, and workforce development. These investments, according to him, improve patient care, create skilled jobs, develop local capabilities, and position India as a more important hub for global MedTech operations.

Related current affairs