AiMeD calls for safegaurd duties as medical device imports surge 80%

New Delhi: 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 action is not taken.

As per AIMED, the 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%). 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.

AIMED argues that safeguard duties are a globally accepted trade protection measure and highlights past precedents. It highlights India’s safeguard duty on solar panels (2018) when it imposed on Chinese and Malaysian imports to protect local manufacturers. Another example shared by the association is how US safeguarded tariffs on steel and aluminum (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.”

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.