Vapi, Gujarat, September 22, 2026: The Indian Medical Parliamentarians’ Forum (IMPF)
convened the National Policy Summit on MedTech Access on September 22 at Meril
Academy, Vapi, under the theme “Swasth Bharat Se Saksham Bharat | Reimagining
MedTech Access in India.” The summit brought together Members of Parliament, senior
government officials, healthcare institutions, clinical experts and industry stakeholders to
deliberate on strengthening India’s medical technology ecosystem and expanding access to
quality, advanced and affordable healthcare technologies.

The summit was chaired by Dr Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde, Member of Parliament, Rajya
Sabha and Chairperson, IMPF. Senior representatives from the Department of
Pharmaceuticals, Department of Health Research, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Authority (NHA), AIIMS Nagpur and
the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) participated in the discussions.
The summit featured two panel discussions that brought together policymakers, healthcare
experts, academic leaders and industry representatives to advance reform-oriented discussions on
India’s medical technology ecosystem and pathways to wider patient access.

The first panel, “Building a Sustainable and Globally Competitive MedTech
Ecosystem,”examined the enabling ecosystem required to support indigenous medical
technology development and global competitiveness. The discussion covered areas including
research and innovation, regulatory and quality frameworks, industry-academia collaboration,
domestic manufacturing capabilities, supply-chain resilience, clinical requirements and the
creation of an ecosystem that could support Indian MedTech companies in addressing both
domestic and global healthcare needs. The panel was chaired by Dr Shivaji Bandappa Kalge,
with Shri Manoj Joshi serving as Co-Chair. Dr Vibhav Garg, Moderator, Meril, moderated
the discussion, which also featured Prof. (Dr.) Prashant P. Joshi and Dr Neha Dumka as
panellists.

The second panel, “Expanding Access to Quality Care through MedTech Innovation,”
focused on the factors that determine whether medical technology can translate from innovation
into meaningful patient access. The discussion examined clinical evidence, health technology
assessment, financing and reimbursement, technology adoption, healthcare workforce
capabilities and the challenges of extending advanced technologies across different levels of the
health system. The panel was chaired by Dr Jashvantsinh Parmar and moderated by Dr
Sharmila Sarkar, with Dr Gaurav Shanker Pradhan, Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav and Dr
Suchita Markan participating as panellists.

Speaking at the summit, Dr Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
and Chairperson, IMPF, said, “Innovation without access has limited impact, and access
without evidence cannot be sustained. For India to build a globally competitive medical
technology ecosystem, we need stronger indigenous research and development, credible clinical
evidence, appropriate health technology assessment and sustainable reimbursement
mechanisms. Manufacturing must be supported by the right clinical skills, infrastructure and
technical ecosystem, particularly as advanced technologies such as robotics become more
accessible. Our ultimate objective must be Indian innovation, global-quality technology and
affordable access for every patient who needs it.”

Shri Manoj Kumar Joshi, Co-Chair and Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals,
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, said, “For India to become self-reliant in medical
devices, we need a strong ecosystem built around quality, evidence and credibility. Our
regulatory system must evolve to ensure that products developed in India meet globally credible
standards. At the same time, we need to strengthen domestic supply chains, engineering
capabilities and component manufacturing. Building this ecosystem will not only support
healthcare access but also contribute to employment and the country’s overall prosperity.”
Addressing the role of healthcare institutions in advancing medical technology, Dr Prashant P.
Joshi said, “Medical institutions should not be limited to validating technologies developed
elsewhere; they should help identify unmet clinical needs and work with engineers, researchers
and innovators to develop solutions around those needs. We need stronger collaboration
between medical and engineering institutions through joint research, academic programmes,
fellowships and training. At AIIMS Nagpur, we are exploring such collaborations with
institutions such as IIT Bombay. Building this interdisciplinary ecosystem can significantly
strengthen India’s medical technology innovation and ultimately improve patient care.”
Highlighting the importance of clinical adoption and capacity building, Dr Gaurav Shanker
Pradhan said, “Access to medical technology is not simply about making a device available. A
device can create meaningful impact only when healthcare professionals are able to use it safely,
confidently and effectively. We need to move from an equipment-centric approach to a
technology adoption model, with competency-based training for clinicians, technicians and other
healthcare professionals. Digital learning and remote training can also help extend this capacity
to underserved and rural areas.”

Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav, IAS, Joint Director, National Health Authority, highlighted the
importance of linking innovation with sustainable financing and reimbursement. He said, “For a
medical technology to reach the patient, clinical effectiveness must be supported by appropriate
financing and reimbursement pathways. Under Ayushman Bharat, newer interventions require
credible clinical and economic evidence before they can be incorporated into health benefit
packages. We also need to look beyond the upfront cost of a device and consider the total cost of
care, including treatment, hospitalisation, personnel and follow-up. This will help us build a
healthcare system that is both affordable and sustainable.”

Emphasising the need to evaluate technologies within the realities of the health system, Dr Neha
Dumka said, “Technology has an important role to play in strengthening primary healthcare,
particularly as our disease burden continues to evolve. However, innovation must be assessed
not only for its technical capabilities, but also for ease of use, cost-effectiveness, scalability and
sustainability within the health system. We need to ensure that technologies can be effectively
adopted at different levels of care and ultimately reach the beneficiaries who need them.
Strengthening this pathway will be essential for equitable access to quality healthcare.”
Speaking on strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots, Dr Jashvantsinh Parmar said,
“To take medical technology from innovation to meaningful patient access, we first need to
identify the bottlenecks in the existing system. We must strengthen the capabilities of healthcare
professionals at the grassroots, particularly those working at CHCs and sub-district centres.
Technologies should be introduced systematically and evaluated through comparative, databased studies. Most importantly, their acceptability among healthcare professionals and patients

must be considered if we want innovations to achieve meaningful adoption.”
Highlighting the potential of Indian medical device manufacturers, Dr Shivaji Kalge said,
“Indian medical device companies are increasingly capable of developing technologies that
meet international standards while remaining affordable for Indian patients. We are already
seeing Indian companies compete with international products in areas such as ophthalmology
and other medical specialties. If we continue to strengthen research, quality and innovation,
these technologies can become more widely accepted globally. This can help improve access to
quality healthcare for Indian patients at more affordable prices.”

The summit brought together senior government and institutional leaders from across India’s
healthcare ecosystem, including Shri Manoj Kumar Joshi, Secretary, Department of
Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, who served as Co-Chair. The
summit also featured Dr Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha,
Maharashtra.

The gathering further included senior representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), National Health Authority (NHA),
leading government medical institutions, clinical experts and key industry associations.
The discussions at the summit underscored the need for a coordinated approach spanning
indigenous innovation, evidence generation, regulatory quality, clinical education, health
technology assessment, financing, reimbursement and institutional adoption. The deliberations
also highlighted the importance of connecting medical technology innovation with the needs of
healthcare providers and patients, particularly in underserved areas.

About the Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum (IMPF)

Established in 2006, the IMPF is a non-partisan platform for Members of Parliament from both
Houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) who have backgrounds in medicine and healthcare. The
forum fosters evidence-based dialogue on public health priorities and connects parliamentary
leadership with the government, clinical experts, civil society, academia and the industry,
enabling the formulation of national policies grounded in the realities of healthcare on the
ground.