Wipro GE Healthcare announces investment of over Rs 8000 crores in manufacturing output & local R&D over next 5 years

As a part of this investment, the Wipro GE Healthcare ‘Made in India’ PET CT Discovery IQ will be exported to 15 countries

Wipro GE Healthcare has announced an investment of over Rs 8000 crores in manufacturing output & local R&D over next 5 years. Poised for exponential growth, medtech, the sunrise sector is thriving with the hospital industry in India, accounting for 80 per cent of the total healthcare market and witnessing strong investor demand locally and globally.[1] This strategic investment bolsters Wipro GE Healthcare’s local manufacturing footprint to address the growing domestic and international market and will build supply chain resiliency for the organisation.

As a part of this investment, the Wipro GE Healthcare ‘Made in India’ PET CT Discovery IQ will be exported to 15 countries. Additionally, the ‘Made in India’ Revolution Aspire CT, Revolution ACT and MR breast coils will be manufactured ‘In India for the World’.

India is among the top 20 global markets for medical devices in the world.[2] Wipro GE Healthcare is among the first medtech companies to ‘Make in India – for India and the world’ over past three decades, investing upwards of over $4Billion in R&D and manufacturing output in India since inception. Over the decades, the organisation has fostered a strong local supplier ecosystem of medtech component manufacturing – covering capabilities like plastics, EMS, machining, castings, 3D printing – contributing $1M supplier Labor hours. The investment will include creation of additional 400,000 labor hours.

Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro GE Healthcare, Chairman, Wipro Enterprises and Chairman Azim Premji Foundation, said, “India is riding the resurgent growth in the healthcare industry and rapidly expanding medtech sector. With ‘Make in India’, we are witnessing an exponential expansion of manufacturing footprint in the country, strengthening  India’s capability as the medtech hub of the world. Wipro GE Healthcare has been committed to this localization journey for over three decades and this strategic investment is  testament to our vision for this sector.”

Peter J. Arduini, President and CEO, GE HealthCare said, “India is a high potential, high priority market for GE HealthCare globally. In fact, we are among the first MedTech companies to ‘Make in India – for India and the World’. We will continue to invest in expanding India’s domestic capabilities and its global footprint in medtech manufacturing and R&D. Today’s announcement is aligned with our strategic vision to deliver precision innovation globally and accelerate India’s position as ‘medtech innovation and manufacturing hub for India and for world markets.”

Chaitanya Sarawate, Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare and President & CEO, GE HealthCare South Asia said, “Innovating in India and Making in India – for India and for the World, has always been a priority for us, evident in our trajectory and investments over past three decades. We have fostered a strong innovation track record, a local supplier ecosystem and built a portfolio of world class products in India, for India and the world. As a local partner we are bullish about India’s potential and its journey to be ‘Atmanirbhar’ and a key cog in the resilient global supply chain. As India envisions to be among top five global manufacturing hubs in terms of value and technology for medical devices in the coming years, we are committed to the national healthcare agenda.”[3]

Currently, the organisation has four manufacturing plants in Bengaluru. All four manufacturing plants are export plants – the latest one established in March 2022 with an investment of a little over Rs 100 crore under the Indian government’s PLI Scheme.

GE HealthCare is among the first healthcare companies to start an R&D center in India over three decades back. The Healthcare Technology Center India (HTCI) is GE HealthCare’s largest R&D center outside of the USA, situated in John F. Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC), Bengaluru. The organisation also has collaborations with leading academic institutions in the country to further research. In January 2024, GE HealthCare signed an MoU with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to advance medtech innovation from India – for India and the world. 

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