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As part of its efforts to support the domestic medical devices industry in the country and strengthen its operations, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has called for applications from eligible candidates under the schemes for investment to reduce import dependence and clinical studies. Deadline for the submission of application is 6 pm on January 10, 2026.
The applications have been invited under the two sub-schemes - Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence, and Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme - under the Scheme for Strengthening of Medical Device Industry.
The Scheme is aimed to strengthen the medical device industry by providing support in critical areas, including manufacturing of key components and accessories, skill development, support for clinical studies, development of common infrastructure, and industry promotion.
Proposals may be submitted to the Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC), the authorised Project Management Agency of DoP.
The Marginal Investment Scheme for Reducing Import Dependence is aimed to promote domestic production of key components, raw materials and accessories used in manufacturing of medical devices, including in-vitro diagnostic devices, in order to reduce dependence of Indian medical device manufacturers on imported key components and raw materials and increase the depth of India's value chains.
Medical Device Clinical Studies Support Scheme is to support the medical device industry by fostering development of devices supported by clinical evidence and generation of clinical data that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the devices manufactured in India. This is expected to promote manufacturing of quality products with better efficacy and safety. It is also envisaged to enhance credibility of domestic manufacturers to produce high quality products, opening up opportunities for them in markets outside the country.
The Central Government has introduced the scheme 'Strengthening of Medical Device Industry' on November 8, 2024, with five sub-schemes including some of the existing ones, with an outlay of Rs. 500 crore and tenure of the Scheme is three years from financial year 2024-25 to FY 2026-27.
The other sub-schemes include 'Common Facilities for Medical Device Clusters', 'Capacity Building and Skill Development in Medical Device Sector', and Medical Device Promotion Scheme.
The objective of the sub-scheme Common Facilities for Medical Device Clusters is to strengthen existing infrastructure by providing financial assistance to medical device clusters for creating common infrastructure facilities, boosting domestic manufacturing capacity and improving cluster quality and to strengthen availability of more medical device testing laboratories in order to boost manufacturing of quality medical devices.
Capacity Building and Skill Development in Medical Device Sector is with the main objective to fill the gap existing in the education and research in medical devices sector and to ensure quality teaching, training and nurturing excellence in medical technology education for generating critical mass of trained human resource to meet the requirements of rapidly innovating multidisciplinary areas of medical technology and create R&D ecosystem for the sector.
Medical Device Promotion Scheme is to promote medical device industry by bringing industry leaders, academia and policy makers together to share their knowledge and experience for overall development of the sector as well as to facilitate growth and development of the sector through conducting studies, organizing awareness programmes, creation of databases and promotion of industry.
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