Индия ставит цель превратить сектор медтехнологий в глобальный центр инноваций к 2030 году

India's medical technology sector is at a pivotal moment. Today, the industry is valued at approximately $15-16 billion and is steadily advancing towards an ambitious target of $30 billion by 2030. Manufacturing capacity is expanding, investments are increasing, and Indian companies are strengthening their presence across global markets. The next phase of growth depends on whether India can become a global centre for medical technology innovation. India has demonstrated its ability to manufacture high-quality medical devices at competitive costs. However, achieving the industry's growth ambitions will require moving up the value chain through greater innovation, stronger product development capabilities and increased commercialisation of indigenous technologies. The future of MedTech will be shaped not only by what India manufactures, but by what it invents. At the heart of that ambition lies talent. Innovation is driven by skilled engineers, scientists, clinicians and entrepreneurs who can identify unmet needs, develop solutions, navigate regulatory pathways and bring products successfully to market. Building this talent base must become a national priority if India is to realise its MedTech aspirations. This is particularly important because India's growth story will be increasingly linked to exports. Success in global markets depends not only on affordability but also on quality, reliability and innovation. Medical devices must meet rigorous international standards before they can be adopted by healthcare systems worldwide. Designing products that meet those expectations requires expertise in engineering, regulatory affairs, clinical evaluation and quality systems. Countries that emerged as global MedTech leaders invested heavily in talent and innovation ecosystems. Ireland, for example, built a thriving MedTech cluster by fostering strong collaboration between universities, healthcare institutions and industry. The result was not only greater manufacturing capacity but also a robust product development ecosystem capable of generating globally competitive innovations. India already has many of the building blocks needed to replicate this success. The country is home to world-class institutions such as the IITs, NIPERs and other leading research universities. Yet stronger linkages between academia and industry are needed to translate scientific research into commercially viable healthcare innovations and create a workforce equipped for the evolving needs of the sector. To achieve this, greater emphasis must be placed on industry-academia collaboration. Partnerships between MedTech companies, IITs, NIPERs and other leading research institutions can create opportunities for collaborative research, technology development and product innovation. Joint Centres of Excellence, industry-sponsored research programmes and co-developed curricula can ensure that students gain practical exposure to the challenges and opportunities within the sector. Bringing industry and academia closer together will help accelerate the translation of research into products that address real healthcare needs. Equally important is the need to scale up MedTech-specific academic and skill development programmes. While India has made significant investments in higher education, dedicated programmes focused on medical technology remain relatively limited. The industry requires specialised expertise in areas such as device design, biomaterials, quality assurance, clinical engineering, regulatory affairs and advanced manufacturing. Expanding specialised courses, fellowship programmes, apprenticeships and hands-on industry training can help build a future-ready workforce capable of supporting the sector's growth ambitions. At the same time, India must do more to encourage innovation-led entrepreneurship. Many promising ideas developed in research laboratories struggle to progress beyond the prototype stage due to limited access to infrastructure, mentorship, funding and clinical validation opportunities. Establishing MedTech-focused startup incubation programmes can help bridge this gap. Dedicated incubation platforms can provide innovators with access to technical expertise, testing facilities, regulatory guidance and industry partnerships, enabling faster product development and commercialisation. Such ecosystems are critical for nurturing the next generation of MedTech innovators and creating globally competitive intellectual property from India. Industry itself must also play a more active role in strengthening the innovation ecosystem. Companies should invest in research partnerships, fellowships, startup collaborations and workforce development initiatives. Global MedTech leaders should be encouraged to expand research and product development activities in India, while Indian companies should continue creating opportunities for young engineers and scientists to work alongside clinicians and healthcare providers. Developing talent should be viewed not as a cost but as a strategic investment in the future competitiveness of the sector. India's aspiration to become a global MedTech powerhouse is achievable. The country possesses the market scale, manufacturing capabilities, scientific talent and entrepreneurial drive needed to compete on the world stage. However, transforming India into a hub for medical technology innovation will require sustained investments in people and institutions. If India can strengthen industry-academia partnerships through institutions such as the IITs and NIPERs, expand specialised MedTech education and skill-building programmes, and create robust startup incubation ecosystems that accelerate innovation and commercialisation, it can build a foundation for long-term global leadership. The machines are important. But the minds behind them will determine how far India's MedTech journey can go. (Himanshu Baid is Managing Director, Poly Medicure Ltd.) Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author's own.