Indian Medical Device Industry Calls For Safeguard Duties

New Delhi, Apr 15 (KNN) Indian medical device manufacturers are seeking safeguard duties on 12 key product categories to protect domestic industry interests following trade disruptions caused by US tariffs and China's retaliatory actions.

The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) has urged the Department of Commerce to implement these protective measures, warning that uncontrolled imports threaten local manufacturers.

AIMED expressed concerns that potential import duty reductions for the EU and US under ongoing trade negotiations could cause severe injury and underutilisation of the domestic industry capacity.

The 12 device categories targeted for higher import duties include syringes and needles, where imports have jumped from USD 61 million to USD 111 million, and diagnostic reagent kits, which have seen a 23 percent surge in imports.

In a recent letter to the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, AIMED Forum Coordinator Rajiv Nath advocated maintaining a basic Customs Duty of 15 percent for products with over Rs 100 crore exports to protect domestic investment for 5 years as a Predictable Tariff Policy.

The industry body noted that medical device exports have declined from 12 percent to 6 percent, while imports remained unabated at 8.9 percent compared to 9 percent in the corresponding period.

Responding to concerns raised by various export sectors, the Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has informed industry stakeholders that the Department of Commerce and DGFT are actively tracking developments in global trade, particularly in relation to tariff changes, import surges, and export-related challenges.

The DGFT has established a dedicated ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’ to assist stakeholders navigating emerging trade issues.

According to official communication, this helpdesk will address issues related to import and export challenges, import surges, and dumping, while coordinating support and providing possible resolutions.

AIMED has expressed fears about the potential dumping of goods from China given recent US-China trade tensions and China's growing share of India's medical device imports.

"In Africa, Middle East (WANA) & CIS, the international prices are depressed and Chinese products are being dumped due to excess capacity," the letter stated.

Data shared by AIMED indicates that imports of critical medical devices have surged, particularly from China, Germany, Singapore, the US, and Netherlands. China accounts for 33.47 percent of the total increase, making it the largest contributor to import growth.

However, in terms of total import value between April and December 2024, the US remains the largest exporter to India with medical devices worth USD 243.52 million, followed by China at USD 170.71 million.

(KNN Bureau)