Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, emphasised on “Leveraging Inter-sectoral Networking for Med-Tech Innovations” during a South and Southeast Asia regional meet. He said that India is working to become a global centre for MedTech innovation and has called for stronger partnerships with neighbouring countries to build a resilient medical device ecosystem.
He also said that the COVID-19 pandemic proved health knows no boundaries and underlined the need for collaboration across countries and sectors.
The two-day meeting, organised by the Department of Health Research and ICMR at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, brought together officials from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Timor-Leste to share experiences and strengthen health research under the RESEARCH Platform.
Agrawal noted that India is building a strong foundation for the MedTech sector with medical device parks, ICMR’s MedTech Mitra and Patent Mitra initiatives, clinical trial support, and new research platforms. He also highlighted that seven National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) institutes now offer specialised courses in medical devices, open to international students as well.
He added that medical technology will increasingly move into households through digital tools, making healthcare more affordable and accessible. He also spoke about the Academia to Industry: Discovery Marketplace that connects startups, industry, and research institutions for innovation and partnerships.
Agrawal concluded that the RESEARCH Platform could help South and Southeast Asia emerge as a global leader in MedTech innovation.
