MedTech sector welcomes UK–India CETA, seeks import safeguards

The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) has welcomed the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), describing it as a significant opportunity to boost India’s medical device exports while calling for stringent safeguards to prevent third-country manufacturers from exploiting the agreement through the UK.

Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, AiMeD, said the trade pact has the potential to strengthen India’s medical device exports and foster fair competition with British manufacturers. However, he cautioned that reduced duty access under CETA could be misused by third-country producers routing products through the UK unless robust Rules of Origin and customs safeguards are enforced.

“The UK–India CETA marks a pivotal moment for Indian medical devices. While the agreement opens doors for export growth and fair competition with British manufacturers, AiMeD cautions against the risk of third-country producers exploiting reduced duty access via the UK. Strict Rules of Origin and customs safeguards are essential to protect India’s nascent, import-dependent industry at this critical stage, ensuring that ‘Make in India’ gains are consolidated rather than undermined,” Nath said.

According to AiMeD, India’s medical device imports increased by 17% in the last year, rising from ₹77,000 crore to ₹89,000 crore (approximately USD 9.3 billion), while exports remain around USD 4 billion. Trade with the UK has remained relatively stable, with India’s medical device exports to the UK at approximately USD 130 million and imports from the UK at USD 227 million.

Nath also highlighted regulatory disparities affecting market access. He said Indian manufacturers face lengthy and expensive approval processes to enter the UK market through the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the European Union’s CE marking system. In contrast, UK manufacturers obtain approvals from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) through a comparatively faster and less expensive process that does not require factory inspections.

“Perhaps the time has come to require such inspections to ensure that only genuine UK-origin products are shipped to India, and not third-country goods using the UK as a transit point,” Nath said.

Dr Rajiv Chhibber, Joint Forum Coordinator, AiMeD, said the successful conclusion of CETA represents a major milestone in strengthening bilateral economic ties and expanding opportunities for innovation-driven industries.

“For the MedTech sector, while the immediate gains may not lie significantly in tariffs, the agreement lays a strong foundation for technology partnerships, research collaborations, skilled workforce mobility, and greater market access. It will encourage Indian companies to expand their global footprint while attracting advanced capabilities into India,” Chhibber said.

He added that as the partnership evolves, the industry hopes the agreement will lead to greater regulatory convergence, mutual recognition agreements (MRAs), and faster access to quality healthcare technologies for patients in both India and the UK.