AIMED calls for safeguard duties as medical device imports surge 80 %

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 underutilisation if immediate action is not taken.

China emerges as largest import contributor

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 per cent 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 per cent from $61 million to $111 million, led by China (69 per cent), USA (91 per cent), and Singapore (64 per cent). Other surgical tools witnessed a 49 per cent increase, with Switzerland recording a staggering 722 per cent spike, followed by China (21 per cent), USA (14 per cent), Germany (5 per cent), and Singapore (11 per cent). CT apparatus imports jumped 39 per cent, with Germany (152 per cent) leading the surge, followed by the USA (25 per cent), China (11 per cent), and Japan (12 per cent).

Among the sharpest spikes, diagnostic reagent kit imports surged 23 per cent, with an unprecedented 424 per cent jump from the Netherlands, followed by China (24 per cent), USA (23 per cent), and Singapore (38 per cent). Similarly, hollow needles for injection saw a 62 per cent increase, oxygen therapy devices spiked 36 per cent, and orthopedic devices jumped 47 per cent, with Germany (295 per cent) and the USA (87 per cent) driving the surge.

AIMED argues that safeguard duties are a globally accepted trade protection measure and highlights past precedents:

• India’s safeguard duty on solar panels (2018): Imposed on Chinese and Malaysian imports to protect local manufacturers.
• US safeguard tariffs on steel and aluminum (2018): Introduced to secure domestic industries under national security concerns.

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 warns 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.