India's rising medical devices imports hurt small and medium units

China accounts for about one-fifth of FY22 numbers; 41% surge overall

India’s medical devices imports surged 41 per cent to touch Rs 63,200 crore in 2021-22, led by a 48 per cent year-on-year (YoY) jump in imports from China to Rs 13,538 crore, the commerce ministry data analysed by the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) has showed.

Local industry players say this has led to several small and medium units to shut shop.

Rakesh Vaid of Usha Fabs, a garments exporter, had started making N95 masks in his Gurgaon factory during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Vaid invested around Rs 5 crore to set up a manufacturing line, and he